Stay safe, stay sober and stay with a buddy if you’re hitting the water this 4th of July

With large crowds anticipated for Lake Tobesofkee's Independence Day Celebration, emergency responders are stressing the importance of safe boating and swimming practices.

MACON (41NBC/WMGT) – If you’re headed to the lake for the 4th of July weekend, it’s important to put safety first so everyone can have a good time.

Whether you’re boating, swimming or relaxing on the beach, there are laws and guidelines everyone should follow to keep themselves and others safe.

As hundreds prepare to visit Lake Tobesofkee for its Independence Day Celebration, Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Special Operations Officer Garin Flanders says agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be there to make sure everyone is obeying the law.

“DNR, they’re there to patrol the waters,” Flanders said. “They’re the law enforcement aspect of all of this. They’re gonna make sure you’re not drinking. They’re gonna make sure you have your right life jackets and stuff.”

According to DNR, it is illegal to operate a vessel on any body of water in Georgia with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher. At Lake Tobesofkee, alcohol is not allowed on the premises.

Lake Director Donald Bracewell says safe boating and swimming practices help keep Tobesofkee a family friendly environment. 

“If you’re on the water or you’re in a vessel, you have to be 13 or over not to wear a life vest,” Bracewell said. “Even then, I encourage everybody to wear a life vest.”

According to lifeguard Marquis Hodges, devices such as inner tubes or pool noodles can pose safety risks. That’s why anyone on the water should have a Coast Guard approved flotation device on hand.

In waters with low visibility, it’s important not to dive into the water even if you think it’s deep, because you might not be able to see a safety risk.

Hodges said swimmers and boaters should also be mindful of one another while sharing the lake.

“We marked the bars off out here for the swimming area, and we just try to keep people to stay within the swim zone so that way we can prevent any major emergencies from happening,” he said.

Flanders says it’s important to never swim alone. If you swim with a buddy or in a group, someone can be there to help in case of an emergency.

Parents should keep their children within arm’s reach so they can act fast if the child becomes submerged.

Hodges says it can be easy to lose sight of your child, especially in large crowds, so you should never leave them unattended.

“We just want to have a good working relationship with the parents and the lifeguards so that if we can work this thing out together, then everyone can have fun and be as safe as possible while doing it,” he said.

Swimmers are also advised to be mindful of weather conditions. With temperatures reaching into the hundreds this summer, remember to hydrate and take breaks out of the sun.

Stay out of the water if you hear thunder, and do not hesitate to call 911 in the event of an emergency. Flanders says you should give the 911 dispatcher your location, let them know what has happened and stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.