by Larissa Moore

With summer being right around the corner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking to prevent and spread awareness of water-related injuries.
Throughout the country, the USACE manages over 400 lakes and rivers. Each year during the summer season, bodies of water managed by the USACE bring in millions of tourists. This also brings in an alarming amount of fatalities. Many of these incidents result from the absence of lifejackets and the invasion of non-swimming zones.

The USACE motivates visitors to continue to enjoy the outdoors in the summer, but they emphasize, “too often, accidents happen without warning and in just a matter of seconds,” said Heath Kruger, USACE National Water Safety program manager. “A properly fitted lifejacket remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to save a life.”

This summer, the USACE encourages people to monitor all children in open bodies of water, avoid drinking alcohol before swimming, and be sure to wear lifejackets when participating in activities in the open water.

With Maine being a popular summer destination filled with many busy waterways, such as Sebago Lake and the Penobscot River, it is important for everyone to know the risk of unsafe swimming. These popular bodies of water attract people from all over the country for summer festivities, and the USACE strives to spread awareness for water safety, to keep as many people safe as possible.