PUEBLO, Colorado — I met with Jasmine Wolcott. She's a park ranger with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Every morning, she wakes up early for work, but today, she's up even earlier, and very well may be staying late. That's because according to her, the fourth of July is one of the busiest days on Colorado lakes.
It's the ranger's job to make sure people follow the rules and stay safe. Wolcott is checking that people have life jackets, their boats inspected, and that nobody is boating under the influence. She says the rules are there for a good reason.
"It keeps everybody safe on the water. The worst thing you can do is go out for a really fun day and then a tragedy that could be prevented happens."
Just like you have a designated driver for your car, Wolcott says you should have one while you're out in the water. She says it's all about being proactive.
I looked into what percentage of drowings happened when people were not wearing life jackets. CPW tells me 80%, so remember to throw on the life jacket, even if you are a strong swimmer. Wolcott will certainly appreciate it.
Email Reporter Jake Walker at jake.walker@koaa.com. Follow @JakeOnAiron Instagram and Jake Walker Media on Facebook.
