Corps Gear Up For Holiday Weekend
Park Rangers Brian Bowman and Craig Gordon patrolled near the beach last Sunday at Enid Lake and tossed frisbees with water safety messages to swimmers. Boat patrols are just a part of the Crops of Engineers plan to keep visitors safe during the coming July 4th holiday weekend. – Photos by Jack Gurner
Park Rangers will be patrolling on land and water and they will be stationed at every swimming beach.
By Jack Gurner
Reporter
ENID LAKE – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants everyone to be safe over the July Fourth holiday.
Corps officials expect Enid Lake campgrounds to be filled to capacity and day use visitors to be plentiful.
Park Rangers will be patrolling on land and water and they will be stationed at every swimming beach, Supervisory Ranger Mike Robinson said.
Rangers will ensure that motorists are driving slowly, parking in designated parking areas, and obeying all traffic laws.
Boaters and swimmers will be checked to make sure they are wearing their life jackets. Public fatalities most often occur in accidents involving small boats and swimmers in non-designated swim areas, according to data from the Corps.
“We will continue our life jacket exchange and our life jacket loaner programs,” said Robinson.
He explained the life jacket exchange this way: “If we see a kid wearing these little armband “floaties,” we negotiate with the parents to exchange those for a Coast Guard approved life jacket.”
The life jacket loaner program will be available at Persimmon Hill beach and at Hickory Ridge beach, he added.
“We will have a board there with instructions to take a life jacket and return it after completion of the day’s activities,” said Robinson. “We will have a number of life jackets on that board in various sizes. There should be a size there to accommodate any visitor.”
The Lake Patrol Boat will be on the water and will give courtesy inspections for Coast Guard approved equipment. “The big thing we look for is safety items; life jackets, fire extinguisher, horn, that type thing,” he said.
Boaters who make sure that everyone on board is wearing their life jacket could be in for an additional surprise. Rangers will be giving out “floatation citations” that will include a coupon good for free food from local eating establishments.
Rangers will also be strictly enforcing the “no fireworks” policy throughout the holiday weekend. Corps rules prohibit the possession or use of explosives, firearms, fireworks, or other pyrotechnics without written permission from Vicksburg District officials.
