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Water Safety Council Programs Contribute Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. – The 2007 boating season was the safest in more than two decades at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. Year-end statistics from the Missouri State Water Patrol show declines in accidents, boating-related fatalities and drunken driving arrests at the Lake as well as statewide. A large part of the credit at the Lake goes to the Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council, whose education programs helped bring down the number of accidents from 135 in 2006 to 114 in 2007, drunken driving arrests from 316 to 276, and boating-related fatalities from seven to just two. Col. Rad Talburt of the Missouri State Water Patrol says the Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council programs contributed to the improved numbers, along with a variety of other factors. “Increased state funding has allowed the Water Patrol to keep more experienced officers, purchase improved equipment and increase sobriety checkpoints around the state,” he says. He also cites a 2004 law requiring anyone born in 1984 or later to pass a boater safety course before driving on Missouri's waterways. “We got a lot of media coverage that helped get the message out about boating safety,” Col. Talburt adds. “And the Water Safety Council’s public awareness campaign certainly helped slow down the fatality and accident rate at the Lake of the Ozarks.” The Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council was formed in 2006 to focus attention on safety issues at the Lake. Safety Council President Trisha Creach, executive director of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, says, “All five local Chambers of Commerce, plus the Tri-County Lodging Association, Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau, AmerenUE, tourism-related groups, businesses, government agencies and private citizens formed a partnership to determine how we could effectively impact water safety. We came up with a program that educates and reminds Lake users to wear life jackets and to designate a sober captain, because drinking and driving on the Lake is just as serious as on the road.” Using the theme, “Think Before You Sink,” the Council greeted the 2007 boating season with print ads in area newspapers, magazines and event programs, plus a one-page flier with boating laws and safety information that was distributed to all lodging facilities and at special events. An image of the ad also was shown between features at area cinemas. In addition, the theme was used on posters and banners that were made available free to be displayed at condo docks, waterside restaurants, marinas, resorts, as well as on beverage coasters distributed at no charge to waterfront restaurants. A postcard was sent to more than 2,500 confirmed Lake boaters. All of the materials were donated. Billboards were donated by Lamar Outdoor and AmerenUE. The Council also established a Designated Captain program in which the designated boat driver receives complimentary non-alcoholic beverages from participating establishments, a map of those establishments, a floating Captain’s key chain and a boat decal. Working with the Water Patrol, the Safety Council requested more “boating saturations,” in which officers are brought in to the Lake of the Ozarks from other areas. “Normally we do this once or twice a year but we did it four times in 2007,” Col. Talburt says. “At first we were ticketing one out of every six boaters for BWI, which is a very high number. But that dropped to one out of 10 later in the summer.” For 2008, Safety Council Vice President Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau, says, “I’ve got 25,000 fliers ready to distribute for this year’s boating season which officially will open at the Spring Harbor Hop on Saturday, May 3.” In addition, Creach says, “We plan to spread the message to areas of the Lake that we didn’t get to last year. Also we want to get the message into area schools to reach younger kids so they’ll remind their parents to wear life jackets.” The only area where there was an increase over last year at the Lake of the Ozarks was drownings: 10 in 2007 compared to four in 2006. The majority were linked to alcohol. Statewide, the Missouri State Water Patrol says there were 246 boating accidents in 2007 – the lowest number since 1986 when 224 accidents were reported. Boating accidents in Missouri peaked at 419 in 1997. “The Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council is a great example of the state and the community working together to make the Lake safer,” Col. Talburt says. “Obviously, we have made great strides in reducing the number of accidents in 2007; however, any accidents are too many and there is still room for improvement. Our job is not done until the number is zero.”
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