Texas Game Wardens offer safety tips for boaters ahead of Memorial Day weekend
Boating safety during Memorial Day weekend
Texas Game Wardens are gearing up for traffic on the lakes this Memorial Day weekend. They warned of boating dangers and offered safety tips.
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Game Wardens are gearing up for traffic on the lakes this Memorial Day weekend.
They warned of boating dangers and offered safety tips.
Texas Game Wardens on the water
Why you should care:
"You’re probably looking at, at least probably 100 to 200 extra boats than we normally have," Texas Game Warden Jaron Cox said.
They are expecting to have about triple the traffic they see on any other weekend.
"If you can imagine the cove that we've got over here, just boats side to side, pretty much all the way across the entire cove, it can get pretty busy and pretty hectic back in there," Game Warden Cox said.
Personal watercrafts banned on Lake Austin for Memorial Day weekend
The Austin Police Department (APD) Lake Patrol Unit will be enforcing the City Ordnance that prohibits the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, and similar devices on Lake Austin.
In order to keep people safe, they will be out on the water.
"We will be having extra patrols," Game Warden Cox said.
They will be checking for required safety equipment on boats, which includes:
- Life jackets
- Noise-making device
- Fire extinguisher
- Boat registration card
- Throw cushion
"We're looking for, making sure everybody's safe on the water, operating safely, having proper safety equipment on their vessels, and just making sure that everybody is safe, and if there is a response that we need to go to, we're available on the water, available to do that," Game Warden Cox said.
Game Warden Cox said have fun but be safe.
"We want people to come out and have a good time on the lake. That's why we are here, is to make sure they're safe and have a good time on the holiday weekends with their family," Game Warden Cox said.
Memorial Day weekend 2024
By the numbers:
During Memorial Day weekend last year, across the state, Texas Game Wardens reported issuing more than 1,500 citations for various boating safety law violations, responded to seven drownings, one at Canyon Lake, and arrested almost 40 people for boating while intoxicated.
"If you're intoxicated and operating, we will find them, and we do arrest them," Game Warden Cox said.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis