LEBANON, Tenn. (Aug. 31, 2022) —Rangers with the Nashville District Corps of Engineers set up a water safety booth during the Wilson County Fair to hand out educational materials and children’s goody bags. During the weeklong event, J. Percy Priest park rangers greeted fair attendees and passed out pamphlets with important water safety information and maps of local Corps lakes.
“We’re at the Wilson County Fair annually, handing out vital water safety information and answering any questions people may have about Corps lakes or recreation areas,” said Percy Priest Park Ranger Andrew Harrell.
Some visitors had questions about Corps lake boundaries and hunting seasons. Others had questions about life jackets and water safety. Rangers were able to answer most questions and had helpful information visitors could take with them and share with family and friends.
Little ones received Junior Ranger badges and bright orange “Bobber the Safety Dog” water safety bags filled with water safety coloring materials, toys, and stickers.
“It’s important we get this information out to the local communities. These are the people recreating at our lakes, and this information could be the difference between life and death for some people,” said Natural Resource Specialist Samantha Bedard.
The number of Tennessee recreational boating fatalities in 2021 was 22. A decrease from 2020, which had 31. So far there have been 24 boating-related accidents this year in the state of Tennessee.
The most common causes of boating accidents include not wearing a personal flotation device or lifejacket, falling overboard, capsizing/collisions, and operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Rangers hope to remind attendees of the dangers they can easily avoid by following water safety guidelines and wearing the proper floatation devices while recreating on the water.
“People come to our lakes to have a good time. They want to relax on the water and enjoy time with their families but may not have water safety on their minds. But it’s really not something you want to worry about after something has gone wrong, because by then, it’s too late,” said Harrell.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.)