PAMELA DOTY
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Water Safety
Fort Worth, Texas

Nobody thinks they might die trying to save a boat, hat or inflatable toy. Unfortunately, every year, too many people drown while swimming in an attempt to retrieve items like those. The most common scenario is when a vessel isn’t tied up properly to the shore or dock and someone instinctively jumps in the water and attempts to swim to retrieve it. Another scenario is when someone’s hat blows off while riding in a boat and they or another person jumps in to recover it. The wave action of their boat or another watercraft makes swimming difficult, and the retriever drowns. However, incidents like these are totally preventable.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the leading provider of water-based recreation in the United States. Recent USACE statistics associated with those who drown trying to retrieve something showed that 97 percent of the victims were male. According to all retrieval fatalities for the same time frame, the average age of a retriever who drowns is 43. The majority of retrievers (41 percent) were trying to save a boat that was drifting away from a boat ramp or the shore. Another 34 percent were attempting to retrieve objects like hats, inflatable toys or other items. The saddest of all retrieval deaths is when someone drowns after jumping off a boat in an attempt to help another person in the water, which was the case in 24 percent of the incidents.

In all of these horrific occurrences, the current or wave action usually causes the boat, person or object to drift farther than expected and the retriever drowns. Obviously, these individuals couldn’t swim as well as they thought. Many people aren’t aware of the differences of swimming in natural waters (lakes, rivers, oceans) and swimming in a pool.

Those properly trained in rescuing people in natural waters know to never go near someone struggling in the water without first throwing or reaching to the person with something that floats. Also, sometimes when the operator is the one who goes overboard to retrieve something, those remaining on the drifting boat don’t know how to start or drive it to help that person get back onboard.

One simple step to prevent retrieval fatalities is to have everyone put on their life jacket before launching the boat. Another good boating practice is to learn proper knot-tying techniques so your boat doesn’t drift away from a dock or shore. Also, it’s a good idea to make sure others on the boat know how to start and operate it in an emergency situation. By keeping starting instructions near the helm, you can help those who don’t operate the boat often remember how to do it. Most importantly, if you aren’t wearing a life jacket, do not leave the boat to retrieve an object. Let it go until you can get help from another boater to bring it back. A hat or toy is not worth losing your life.

Remember these tips to prevent water-related retrieval fatalities:

1. When launching, have everyone put on their life jacket before they get onto the boat ramp and always wear it on the boat. When you get back to shore, keep your life jacket with you in case you need to retrieve a drifting boat.
2. Turn off the engine before you jump off a boat to retrieve something and always wear a life jacket. Take something that floats with you when attempting to help someone else.
3. Learn proper knot-tying techniques so your boat doesn’t get loose and drift away.
4. Remember that your swimming abilities will decrease if you do not swim on a regular basis. Even strong swimmers can be overwhelmed by wave action or exhaustion because swimming in natural waters is not like swimming in a pool.
5. Train others onboard to operate your boat in case of an emergency and keep instructions near the helm to help them do that.

When the instinct to retrieve something or someone happens, most people don’t think to put on a life jacket before they enter the water. All of these heartbreaking retrieval fatalities could have easily been prevented if the retriever had already been wearing a life jacket. Please wear your life jacket and keep boating safe and fun!