TULSA — It’s easy to have some serious fun at Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks and lakes. Now the Corps is encouraging the public to have ‘serious’ fun. In other words, be serious about personal safety when it comes to having fun.
It’s easy to have some serious fun at Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks and lakes. Now the Corps is encouraging the public to have ‘serious’ fun. In other words, be serious about personal safety when it comes to having fun.
Tragically, 30 people have died while recreating at Corps parks or lakes in the last 11 months. Many of those deaths could have been prevented if the individual had taken a moment to put on a life vest or taken seriously the warning signs posted where they chose to swim. It is time for the public to accept some responsibility for themselves when they choose to engage in outdoor water activities and to take their safety seriously.
The Corps takes public safety seriously and works year-round to communicate to the public the importance of wearing a life vest, learning to swim, and taking boating classes. The agency also spreads the message about the dangers of bluff jumping. As hard as the Corps works to keep the public safe, it can’t keep them safe from themselves. The Corps can encourage the public to practice good safety habits, but it can’t make them practice good safety habits.
There are life vest loaner boards at every Corps lake, so if you don’t have one you can borrow one for the day and return it before you leave. If you have questions about how to be safe at the lake, ask a ranger – they’ll be glad to help. Check out the Water Safety section on our Home Page at http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/watersafety/
This Labor Day, come out to a Corps park or lake, be safe, and have some ‘serious’ fun.
Release no. 11-070