KENNEWICK, Wash. – With the Fourth of July celebrations nearly here and a heatwave coming this weekend hitting the water across our region seems like a great idea. But do you have everything you need and is it the right fit?
People who live in our region never need an excuse to get out on the water. But getting fit to be on the water takes more than just grabbing a life jacket and zipping it up. Scott Ruppelius with Columbia Basin Dive and Rescue says life jackets aren't just for kids.
“Everybody, everybody, even adults, I'm 59 years old, I still wear life jackets. So everybody out there in the water should wear a life jacket at all times,” Ruppelius said.
But when it comes to life jackets, Ruppelius said get the proper fit that can mean all the difference.
“You don't want the life jacket to float above your mouth. Because if you do that, then you're gonna float right here and you're still gonna drown out the water. So this here doesn't go above her armpits. And that way when she's in the water, her heads gonna be out of the water. So if you get ones for your kids, they're going to grow into them and they real lose. They're going to float down the river with their head underneath the water and probably drown,” Ruppelius said.
As to the right time to wear one, it's easy any time you plan to be out on the water, Ruppelius said.
“You can be walking on the outside of your boat on the edge or what not misstep and fall in, bump your head and you're gonna go out into the bottom. So it's always a good idea when you're on the boat to have a lifejacket,” Ruppelius said. “When kids are near the shore when they're younger, you know under 12 years older, so they should have a lifejacket on when they're just near the water. Because they can wander off and accidentally get in over their heads and the parents don't notice it.” Ruppelius said.
Another thing to keep in mind if someone is drinking alcohol while out on a boat make sure to have a sober skipper. Here's another good idea Ruppelius said: assign people to take shifts in watching any children that may join people for the celebration. When it comes to water things can change in an instant.
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