Texas Parks and Wildlife on high alert for water safety during holiday weekend

SAN ANTONIO – Texas Parks and Wildlife will be on high alert on local lakes boats this long holiday weekend to prevent a water tragedy.

Game Warden Patrick True will be one of many game wardens at Calaveras Lake who will monitor the boats on the water.

“Do yourself a favor before you go and make sure you have all five of these items on your boat,” he said.

First, everyone on board a boat must wear a life jacket. Children under 13 must wear their life jacket when the boat is not docked. Make sure the jacket is the right size for the child.

“You have to look inside yourself. That's where you'll find out how young you are and how much you weigh,” he said.

Second, have a Type IV launcher ready. Third, have a horn or whistle ready because “if your horn doesn't work or the battery dies, make sure you have a whistle on board just in case,” True says.

Number four: Get a certificate or registration card for the vessel and finally a fire extinguisher.

He said that while drinking alcohol on the boat is legal, the boat operator must stay under the legal limit of 0.08 per mille. He strongly advises boat operators not to drink alcohol as heat and weather can play a role in the effect of alcohol on them.

And one more thing: He advised us not to flood lakes, rivers and parks with garbage.