NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Vicksburg District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- Vicksburg District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release # 0809-2
New life jacket policy aims to save lives at Mississippi Lakes
Sardis, Miss… - Four U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District lakes in North Mississippi will participate in a 3-year mandatory life jacket wear test program beginning May 22, 2009. The areas selected for this study are Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, Enid Lake, and Grenada Lake.
The policy will require the use of life jackets to a greater degree than existing regulations in an effort to save lives.
The Corps’ mandatory life jacket test program was designed to determine whether the additional life jacket requirements will improve wear rates among water-based recreation user groups and consequently decrease water-related fatalities.
After extensive review, the national data indicated public fatalities most often occur in accidents involving small classes of vessels (under 26 feet) and swimmers in non-designated swim areas. With all of this in mind, the following life jacket wear requirements were developed:
· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while swimming outside of designated swimming areas. (Waivers may be issued by Park Managers to exempt participants of special events, such as triathlons, from this requirement while participating in the event.)
· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while skiing or being pulled by a vessel, regardless of vessel length.
· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket on powered vessels 16 feet in length to 26 feet in length whenever under power by the main propulsion unit. (This does not include when the vessel is powered by a trolling motor or is stationary.)
· All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times on powered vessels less than 16 feet in length or on non-powered vessels, regardless of length. (Non-powered vessels include, but are not limited to canoes, kayaks, flat bottoms/johnboats, sailboats and paddleboats.)
The new requirements will be in full effect beginning May 22, 2009 on the waters of Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, Enid Lake, and Grenada Lake. For more information, you may contact the Mississippi Project Management Office at (662) 578-3873 or the lake field offices: Arkabutla Lake (662) 562-6261, Sardis Lake (662) 563-4531, Enid Lake (662) 563-4571, or Grenada Lake (662) 226-5911.
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For more information or interviews, contact Frank Worley, Chief of Public Affairs, (601) 631- 5053, 601-831-3053 cell or reply to this e-mail.