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Idaho has seen more than its share of drownings and close calls so far in this boating/summer season on our lakes and rivers. One common denominator in all of the incidents is that the victims often times were not wearing a life jacket, officials said.
According to national statistics, about 3,500 people drown per year in the United States. In Idaho, an average of 34 drownings occur per year. In many cases, drownings can be prevented if people wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Eighty to 90% of the drownings can be prevented if people wear life jackets, officials said.
Another alarming statistic: The No. 1 cause of death for children under the age of 5 in the U.S. is drowning, said Earle Swope with the Idaho Drowning Prevention Coalition. That does not include mortalities caused by birth defects.
The Idaho Drowning Prevention Coalition just formed last year to work on building community partnerships to increase water safety through education, swimming lessons, water safety advocacy and life jacket use, Swope said.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has had to respond to more than 30 water rescues since May. READ MORE IN THE RRI BLOG
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