What to do if you have an emergency on Lake Travis
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- With the summer months fully underway, many people are taking to Central Texas' local waterways to beat the heat and find some reprieve. But emergency specialists are urging residents to take extra precautions on their boat and swimming excursions.
Last week, an eight-year-old boy died after falling off a boat into Lake Travis without a life jacket. The Travis County Sheriff's Office assisted the Pedernales Fire Department, Lake Travis Fire Rescue, STAR Flight and Austin-Travis County EMS in the initial rescue, which later turned to a recovery mode.
Now, TCSO is outlining critical safety measures patrons should be mindful of as they gear up for their summer lake trips.
If there is an emergency on the lake, TCSO recommends bystanders take the following steps:
- Throw a flotation device to the person in distress
- Know one's location on the lake, using both a map and landmarks
- Do not assist anyone unless or until you are wearing a life jacket
- Alert boaters around you by yelling, whistling, blowing a horn, etc.
TCSO and the Lower Colorado River Authority cautioned lake patrons in a late May release that parts of Lake Travis are 100 feet deep. Officials stressed the lake isn't a swimming pool, adding visitors should never swim or boat alone.
“Our Lake Patrol Deputies enforce state laws and respond to calls for assistance, but they can’t be everywhere at all times, so it’s vital for lake patrons to do their part to stay safe on the water,” Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez said in the May release. “Follow the law, don’t drink and drive, and wear your life jacket.”
For swimmers, LCRA encourages everyone to never swim alone, remain hydrated, wear a life jacket at all times, swim only in LCRA's designated swimming areas and know the risks of bacteria and other possible impacts in natural water bodies.
More summer safety tips are available online.