information from King County Sheriff

During Spring, the air warms, but Washington’s waterways remain cold. King County Sheriff’s Office Marine Rescue Dive Unit are reminding boaters and paddlers that wearing a life jacket is a safety necessity. 

 While people are encouraged to always wear a life jacket no matter the water temperature or season, public safety officials stress that wearing a life jacket – not just having it on the boat – significantly increases the chances of surviving a fall into cold water.

 Despite recent warmer weather, water temperatures statewide are still below 60 degrees – cold enough to cause the gasp reflex and incapacitate even strong swimmers in less than one minute.