Marine deputies keep local waters safe

Monday, July 23, 2007

by Karen Martin

With southwestern Idaho temperatures remaining steady in the high 90s and low 100s this July, the dog days of summer are here and the glistening waters of Elmore County's many lakes and rivers beckon to heat weary local residents and others looking for a place to cool down and have some fun.

During the hot summer months, swarms of people flock to scenic Anderson Ranch Reservoir in the northern part of the county and to CJ Strike Reservoir on the Snake River for boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming.

The Elmore County Sheriff's Office keep the local waters safe with a specially trained cadre of Marine Deputies, who regularly patrol these areas during the summer enforcing state boating laws, providing boat safety inspections and coordinating water rescues, as needed.

"In Idaho, boaters are not required to have an operators license," said Latreda Schultz, Marine Deputy and instructor for marine education, "but we highly recommend that anyone operating a watercraft participate in an approved boating course and learn boating laws."

The number of recreationists and vessels enjoying the waters increases dramatically during the summer months with a corresponding rise in boating accidents and injuries to persons.

So far this year, most citations issued by the marine deputies have been for negligent operations and lack of an approved PFD (Personal Flotation Device) on board or readily accessible to operators and passengers on a vessel.

"The two biggest problems that we encounter are lack of life jackets and the use of alcohol (while operating a boat)," Schultz said. "That contributes to many of the accidents and injuries."

A new law went into effect in 2002 that states "children 14 years of age or younger, on board vessels 19 feet or less, must wear an approved life jacket when the vessel is underway.

Fortunately, all of the emergency incidents that the deputies have responded to this year have not resulted in any serious injuries. The South Fork of the Boise River and areas of the Snake River seem to be the location of most accidents.

Deputies perform 1,000-2,000 boat inspections in Elmore County each year, which includes those done on the water and others performed at businesses and residences.

The inspections are random and deputies use a checklist to ensure compliance with state law covering many items including:

*Numbers properly displayed

*Registration stickers valid

*Certificate of registration

*PFD (Personal Flotation Device) - for each person on the boat.

*Required lighting

*Fire extinguishers

*Flame arrestor

*Ventilation

*Sound producing device

*Ski warning flag

If a boat passes inspection, then a sticker is placed on the boat signifying that requirements have been met; deputies may also issue citations for non-compliance.

The inspection requirements apply to all jet skis or PWCs (Personal Watercraft),which have to comply with the

same Idaho laws pertaining to boats.

"One big problem we have with operation of PWCs is lack of education, "commented Deputy Mike Barclay, "People will let their younger kids ride them without any real instruction and that causes problems."

Idaho is one of only two states (the other is Alaska) that does not have a law that restricts the operation of PWCs to a certain age though two counties, Bonner and Kootenai, have enacted county ordinances setting a minimum age of 16 to operate jet skis on waters in their jurisdiction, according to Kim Jackson, Idaho Parks & Recreation, boating education coordinator.

The Sheriff's Office uses three jet boats and two jet skis to patrol Anderson Ranch Reservoir, CJ Strike Reservoir, and the Snake River at Glenns Ferry and Hammett.

"The jet skis work better in shallow water areas that we need to access for rescues, " Schultz said. "We will use them to monitor the safety of people at the reenactment of the Three Island Crossing in Glenns Ferry next month."

A boating course approved by the U.S. Coast Guard is held once a month in Boise through Idaho Parks & Recreation, and Jackson said, with enough demand, a local course could be scheduled for interested persons.

Boaters completing the course receive certification and may be eligible for insurance discounts from select companies