- Rangers urge life jacket use after five water-related deaths this year.
- A 17-year-old drowned at Bear Lake without a life jacket or leash.
- Life jacket loaner stations are available at all Utah state water parks.
HEBER CITY — State law enforcement officers on Tuesday urged life jacket use after the latest drowning in Utah.
According to Ranger Chris Nelson with the Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement, the fatality Saturday at Bear Lake made five deaths on bodies of water so far this year, and four where the deceased were not wearing life jackets.
"Wear the life jacket," Nelson said. "Save your loved ones from such a horrible experience to go through. Wear a life jacket. Be safe."
While the drowning at Bear Lake remains under investigation by county authorities, state officers said the 17-year-old boy from Arizona was not wearing a life jacket and did not have a leash for his paddleboard when he fell off approximately 200 yards from shore during winds of 20 to 25 mph.
They said he was underwater for at least several minutes before bystanders and first responders pulled the teen from the water and attempted lifesaving measures.
High winds and wind gusts were just one more reason, Nelson said, for people heading out to reservoirs and lakes to wear life jackets.
He said the winds experienced in multiple areas of the state over the weekend created problems at Jordanelle Reservoir as well.
"We noticed that lots of paddleboards ended up hundreds of yards away from where they originally launched their paddleboards, needing rescue," Nelson said during an interview with KSL. "There were several individuals I found close to the dam, half a mile away from the shoreline, above 300 feet of water, the depth at which they're swimming at now. It could become fatal very quickly."
He said strong gusts regularly kick up out of nowhere at Jordanelle.
"We'll see white caps anywhere from 2 to 5 feet on an average windy day," Nelson said. "Most people are not equipped to swim in that, or (know) how to paddle or navigate through those kinds of waters."
Nelson said other reasons to wear well-fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets could be unforeseen medical issues like heat exhaustion or stroke, or a collision with another watercraft.
He also urged people to use leashes with paddleboards, so they don't get separated from their boards when they get knocked off them.
This year, Nelson said all water-based state parks have life jacket loaner stations.
"You can come and borrow a life jacket for free at no cost all day while you're in the state park and just return it when you're done," he said.
According to Nelson, many people still do not wear life jackets despite the inherent dangers.
"I contact hundreds of individuals throughout the month that are not wearing life jackets," Nelson said. "Most people would say they're uncomfortable or they hinder my tanning ability or they're too hot."
Nelson said drownings take a toll on everyone from family members to first responders.
"One of the worst calls you'll get is a possible drowning on a body of water that you patrol," Nelson said. "You're always hopeful that you're going to be able to save the individuals, but sometimes that's not always possible."
He hoped law enforcement officers could somehow convince more people to "change the culture" surrounding life jacket use.
"We need to make the culture that everybody who engages in a water sport activity is wearing a life jacket the entire time," Nelson said. "We want everybody who engages in kayaks, paddleboards, on boats, even when it's not required by law, to wear a life jacket."
