TOLEDO, Ohio — It's the holiday weekend, and many of you may be hitting the water for some fun. While activities on the water can be fun, the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department said safety is of the utmost importance, especially in the wake of a drowning at a southeast Michigan campground Wednesday.
"Our waters out in the Maumee River, it's considered black water," TFRD Special Operations Battalion Chief Michael Posadny said. "Once you go a couple of inches under the water, you can't see."
First and foremost, if you're going in the water, wear a life jacket, he said.
"When I put a vest on, I always make sure it's tight enough to where it's going to keep my PFD [personal floatation device] from floating up on me, and it's going to hold me in the same spot and I can just lay on my back and relax," Posadny, who has been with the department for 30 years, said.
TFRD also recommends that when you're going out on the water, use the buddy system. Also, make sure a member of your group knows CPR in case that life-saving measure is needed.
Posadny advised parents to not let their children play games that involve holding their breath underwater, either.
"Don't go in the water and hold breaths, because you may not come back up," Posadny said. "If you're playing games, someone may enter the water as well thinking that you're in distress and they could possibly become a victim."
TFRD's final piece of advice: do not drive a boat or swim if you have been drinking.