Officials urge water safety over Labor Day weekend following recent drownings

SALT LAKE CITY – Officials are urging people to be careful while out on the water heading into the holiday weekend.

“Utah has some great recreational activities. We want you to be outside, but be safe doing it,” said Steve Bullock, the chief of law enforcement for the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation.

Bullock encouraged everyone to wear a life jacket this weekend, whether on a boat, canoe, kayak or paddleboard. The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation has seen an increase in paddleboarding accidents — last week, a man died at Quail Creek after being blown off his paddleboard by strong winds.

“Unfortunately, there’s some tragedies that come along with those because people don’t recognize the law requirements and the necessity of having a life jacket with them in those situations,” Bullock said. “A life jacket only works if you wear it.”

According to Utah law, each person on a motorboat, kayak or paddleboard is required to have a well-fitted, Coast Guard-approved life jacket available. Children aged 12 and younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times.

Additionally, every motorboat that is 16 feet or larger is required to have a throwable life preserver.

“You might not even need it for your own boat, your own passengers, but you might be able to help somebody else if you have that with you,” Bullock said.

Bullock said to remember the saying “Reach, Throw, Row, and Don’t Go.” If you see someone struggling in the water, try to reach them with an object or throw a flotation device to them, rather than jumping in yourself.

For more water safety tips, visit the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation’s website.