News
GRDA Police offer safety tips for river visitors
May 21, 2020
Headed to the scenic Illinois River for the Memorial Day weekend? The Grand River Dam Authority Police Department remind you to float safe, smart and sober and to ALWAYS wear your life jacket.
Headed out to the Illinois River for the Memorial Day holiday? If so, the Grand River Dam Authority Police Department wants to remind you to float safe, smart and sober while also practicing social distancing. GRDA officers will be on the river, to promote safe outings and enforce Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt’s current “Safer At Home” executive order related to the COVID-19 situation.
As you take advantage of the holiday weekend on the water, here are some other safety tips to keep in mind:
- ALWAYS wear your life jacket.
- Any first time or novice floaters should also pair with an experienced paddler/floater in a raft where there is a lesser chance of capsizing.
- Never swim or boat alone. Stay within sight of companions.
- Camp only in designated areas.
- Do not dive into the river from bridges, bluffs, stream banks and trees.
- Never take anything on your float trip that you don’t want to lose. Check your car keys with the commercial float operator for safe keeping.
- Due to recent high waters, please be mindful that the river may contain some debris that presents navigational hazards.
- Do not float or swim when river levels and flows are higher than normal (brown-colored water w/visible debris on the surface) or at flood stage.
GRDA Police also strongly encourage all visitors to wear their life jackets on the water. According to the United States Coast Guard, drowning is the cause of three-fourths of all boating fatalities, and among those fatalities 85 percent of the victims were not wearing life jackets. GRDA is proud to join with the National Safe Boating Council to recognize May 16 – 22, as National Safe Boating Week and takes this opportunity to pass these important life jacket tips:
- Buy your own personal life jacket. One size DOES NOT fit all.
- Look at the label. It will provide the weight, size and proper use information.
- Try it on to check the fit. Once the straps and buckles are secured, it should not slip over your head or come down above your ears.
- Never use water toys in place of an approved life jacket.
- Check your life jacket yearly for flotation and fit. Make sure it is still in good condition, with no rips or tears.
- Finally, wear your life jacket to increase your chance of survival in an accident and to set a good example for others.
For more information, contact the GRDA Scenic River Operations office at 918-456-3251. The office is located at 15971 N. Highway 10 in Tahlequah. If you have an emergency on the water, please call 911. The GRDA Police Department’s non-emergency number is (918) 256-0911.