Tobesofkee Director stresses safety before Labor Day Weekend
NewsCentral Staff
Story Created:
Aug 30, 2012 at 9:19 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Aug 30, 2012 at 10:35 PM EDT
Workers at Lake Tobesofkee are gearing up for a busy Labor Day Weekend, and Recreation Area Director Doug Furney says he wants everybody to stay safe.
Furney says there has only been three reported boat accidents this year, which is far under the 9 to 10 accidents normally reported in past summers.
"(With) the number of boats, (and) the number of people out on the water, we've been extremely lucky this summer," Furney said.
This weekends Furney says the lake could be hosting thousands of swimmers and up to 300 boats if the weather is nice, but even if it stays overcast, he says safety should still be on people's minds.
"I've seen it when there were only two boats on the water, and they collided, you just got to be aware of what's going on around you," Furney said.
Furney says the most important ways to stay safe on the water are to always wear a life jacket, know how to operate your boat, be aware of boating laws, and just use common sense.
"There's no lanes, there's no roadway on the water, so people need to be aware of their surroundings, be aware of other boats around them, know how to operate their boats so that, realize that if they're going into a blind curve or something, they need to slow down," Furney said.
Alcohol is prohibited on the water and Furney asks everyone to be respectful and responsible when it comes to drinking.
"The least thing that can happen to you is being arrested, there's a lot worse things that could happen," Furney said.
For more information on boating laws and regulations in Georgia visit the State Department of Natural Resources website at : http://www.georgiawildlife.org/boating/regulations
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