Labor Day weekend is upon us, and thousands are expected to take to the waters and campgrounds of Lake Pueblo State Park. Avoiding disaster can be simple, as long as you're equipped with the right tools and knowledge.
Avoiding disaster can be simple, as long as you're equipped with the right tools and knowledge.
On Monday, a tuber who went missing at Lake Pueblo State Park after his boat lost him. Thankfully, he was wearing a life-jacket and was rescued by another boat.
"[Life-jackets] are required, you have to have one on-board for everybody on your boat," said Senior Park Ranger Daryl Seder with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "Also, children 12 and younger have to wear them at all times while they're on the boat."
But it could've been worse, especially since they didn't have a spotter, which is required by law.
"It takes three to ski in Colorado," Seder explained.
"So you have to have the boat driver, you have to have the spotter and you also have to have the person being towed." The spotter is in charge of wielding an orange flag.
"As soon as the skier goes down into the water, they raise this flag to let other boats in the area know that there's somebody down and to kinda keep away from them so they can get that person," Seder added.
Campfires are also a common sight outdoors.
But we've seen what happens when they get out of control, even causing massive wildfires like the High Chateau Fire in Teller County last year.
"It's not uncommon to put a fire out one night, it's still kinda smoking, wake up the next morning and there's flames going," Seder noted.
So be sure to properly extinguish your campfire with a bucket and a shovel.
"You're gonna [...] fill your bucket up with water, take it over to your campfire and douse the fire," Seder demonstrated.
Never leave the fire smoking, and make sure the water seeps through.
"You'll get your shovel, a stick, anything will work," Seder instructed. "You're gonna stir the coal around and really get that coals around really get that water to go down to the bottom."
All these tips will help make sure you avoid any scares. and enjoy a safe holiday weekend.
