CPR, the importance of wearing life jackets, and staying sober on land and on the lake were all topics discussed at a press conference hosted by the Lake Lanier Water Safety Task Force Tuesday morning.
Nick Baggett with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spoke about the popularity of the lake and said "It is the most visited Corps of Engineers lake in the United States with 11.8 million visitors a year. I recently saw some stats on the Epcot Center in Florida and we are right there with the Epcot Center as far as the number of visitation."
Charles Jeffrey, Coast Guard Auxillary Vice Commander for Flotilla, said not wearing a life vest is the most common mistake people make while boating.
He explained, "Coast Guard statistics are of all the deaths last year, 80% were by drowning and 77% of the people who drowned were not wearing their life jackets."
Various officials repeatedly expressed how unlikely the chances are that you'll have time to put on a life jacket when an accident occurs, mainly due to unexpected collisions where the person either didn't have enough time to put it on before going into the water or had been knocked unconscious suddenly.
Donald Strother with the Gwinnett County Fire Department spoke out the importance of knowing and administering CPR. "We encourage you to reach out to your local fire department or go online and take a look at the American Heart Association. Find out where you can actually take the course. In Gwinnett County, we have four different times throughout the year where we invite the public to sign up."
In regards to boating under the influence laws DNR Sgt. Lee Brown said, "They do mirror the DUI laws. So, anyone over the age of 21, the legal limit is .08" He added that, "...even if you consume to much as a passenger, you could be a hindrance to the others on the boat."
Gwinnett County Police Cpl Michele Pihera spoke to those who plan to visit the lake and said, "...reduce your speed, watch for pedestrians, stay off your cell phone, and enjoy the lake."
The press conference in Forsyth County comes on the heels of a couple of accidental drownings in Lake Lanier in a week's time.
The Lake Lanier Water Safety Taskforce is comprised of first responders and emergency services departments of the five counties that have Lake Lanier shoreline (Hall, Dawson, Gwinnett, Lumpkin and Forsyth). The taskforce meets regularly to share the latest water safety information among agencies
The following agencies attended the press conference:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Army Corps of Engineers
Forsyth County Fire Department
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office
Hall County Fire Department
Hall County Sheriff’s Office
Gwinnett County Fire Department
Gwinnett Police Department
Dawson County Fire Department
Dawson County Sheriff’s Office
City of Cumming
Cumming Police Department
Georgia State Patrol
Safe Kids Georgia
Lake Lanier Association
City of Cumming Fairgrounds
