Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner
Peoria, Arizona – Maricopa County officials are asking boaters to enjoy the water at Lake Pleasant, but do so safely as Memorial Day is just around the corner.
Officials are stressing people not to swim alone and to always wear a safety vest.
Officials emphasize safety precautions at Lake Pleasant
Officials are offering safety tips to attendees planning to spend time in Lake Pleasant ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. FOX 10’s Dominic Newland reports on this story.
“If you look back over time, you’ll see that it’s related to drownings because people stopped, probably went into the water, and then had medical issues,” Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner said at a news conference at the lake. It was one of the biggest things that happened,” he said at a news conference on the lake.
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Arizona Game and Fish is holding multiple life jacket exchange events to ensure the safety of boaters, including one at Lake Pleasant.
Josh Hoffman of Arizona Game and Fish says, “Bring in a life jacket that doesn’t fit or may no longer work, and purchase a new ski vest-type life jacket. Please do so.”
Additional advice for hikers
Officials say if you’re hiking around Lake Pleasant, turn back when your water bottle is about half empty.
They say to always conduct a head count to know the total number of party members.
It wouldn’t be a safety advisory if it didn’t point out the importance of calling 911 in an emergency.
