Kankakee Times

Illinois state Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) took to Facebook recently to provide valuable advice for water safety during the summer season.

“The Illinois Department of Natural Resources [IDNR] and the Illinois Conservation Police remind boaters to keep safety in mind, wear life jackets anytime you're on the water and only operate boats while sober,” she said in the post.

Haas’ post shared a link to a WICS news article that discussed the guidelines presented by the IDNR and the Conservation Police. The article specifically addressed the significance of practicing safe and responsible boating habits throughout the summer.

“In 2022, there were 52 reportable boating incidents on Illinois waters,” according to statistics from the Illinois Conservation Police. Six people died and 40 were injured in those incidents. The total number of incidents is down from 2019-2021 figures. There were 93 boating accidents with 16 fatalities and 28 injuries in 2021, 2020 saw 81 boating accidents with 21 fatalities and 36 injuries, and 2019 had 72 boating accidents with 14 fatalities and 42 injuries.

In Illinois, Conservation Police Officers (CPOs) are members of the IDNR’s Office of Law Enforcement. They have the full power of law enforcement officers across the state and are trained to the same standards as community police officers. The role of a CPO, in addition to enforcing laws and protecting the state’s natural and recreational resources, is to connect the community and the IDNR.

The Handbook of Illinois Boating Laws and Responsibilities contains information on how to register and title a boat as well as rules for who can operate a boat. It also includes rules regarding navigation, required equipment, and requirements for skiing and personal watercraft.

The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) also issued a release with recommendations for ensuring safety in lakes and rivers. To begin with, it is crucial for children to wear life jackets at all times when swimming in lakes or pools. It is also essential to understand that swimming across a lake differs significantly from swimming in a pool.

“Teach older children that it is unsafe to dive head-first into the water because it may be too shallow; and to stay out of murky or fast-moving water – there may be hidden dangers in the water that can’t be seen by standing on the shore,” DCFS said in the release.