The Page Public Library in partnership with the National Park Service’s Glen Canyon Dive Team held a “Play Safe on Powell” water safety event last Thursday at the library parking lot.
The purpose of the event was to promote safe ways to have fun on the water during National Water Safety Awareness Month.
The library held fun water games, handed out prizes and hot dogs for anybody who attended.
The event coordinator, librarian Mandy Lathrop, was happy about the turnout. The idea for the event was decided when she had a conversation with Nick Crowley, lead diver on the Glen Canyon dive team, about holding a safety event for Page residents. The high school’s Unity Club also helped out with the safety class.
“Today is National Life Jacket Awareness Day and tomorrow is Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day so we thought this was a good day to have it. So we did and  made it fun,” said Lathrop.  “I just want the kids to have fun and to learn how to be safe when they’re at the lake.”

Lathrop talked about how to make a serious subject like water safety fun to learn. “We brought the dive gear and we are showing how the life jacket fits. Ted’s Marine is helping us do a fundraiser.”
Three members of the Dive Team, Crowley, Taylor Western and Amanda Hammond, who are also part of the underwater recovery unit, were on hand to show the kids how the dive equipment fit and worked, but the main focus of the event was aimed at life jacket safety; how to wear it and when to wear it.
Hammond and Crowley explained the exact way a life jacket should fit; snug and should not rise above the neck if a person raises their arms above their head. Life jackets are also recommended in male and female sizes, which is actually another safety feature when cinching on the jacket. Having the right size life jacket could mean it will not slide off in an emergency situation.
Hammond helped people put on the life jackets properly and cinched them up. She also taught people how to check to see if the jacket was the right fit and how to find the right measurement for a perfect fit on the tags of the life jacket. Hammond helped the kids understand the SCUBA equipment as well by allowing them to try on the adult-size SCUBA gear. The kids were delighted to try it on.
Crowley also explained the types of flotation devices on different boats and their function.
“It’s the same thing as drinking and driving a car. It’s a cause of a lot of incidents on the lake.” says Crowley.  
The underwater recovery team does get called to recover many people who have drowned from drinking alcohol on the lake.
“The fact is many of those incidents could have been prevented if they were wearing a life jacket.” said Crowley. Kayaking and water sport vessels carry the same rules for wearing these life jackets.
For many residents in Page going to the lake can be a day trip to the shore for a bit of swimming or fishing. Water safety is equally important from the shore and carries the same rules about water safety. Sometimes people will trip off a ledge and the fall will disorientate them, so once in the water they may not know up from down. And cliff jumpers or swimmers will find themselves in the cold water straight out of hot temperatures. This quick change in body temperature can cause the body to go into shock with the loss of simple reflexes or feelings in the extremities can numb. These small changes in the body are actually a serious change that can cause a person to tread water or disorientate a swimmer from reaching the shore. Staying a minimum distance from the shore to avoid the undertow and a simple inflatable life jacket or floatation device can help prevent a drowning.
Cliff jumping is prohibited especially when drinking. Kayaking also carries the same safety precautions for cold-water shock and kayakers should be aware of the undertow or wake from jet ski’s and speed boats. Jet skiing has rules as well and usually requires a safety course but wearing a life jacket is non-negotiable. Wearing a life jacket is a non-negotiable for responsible water fun on any large body of water. For more water safety information and precautions to take on Lake Powell look up the NPS’s Plan Your Visit page at www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/safety for more information