Posted
For Immediate Release: Friday, August 29, 2014
Donate Your Used Life Vest at Hagg Lake this Weekend
Washington County first responders and Scoggins Valley Park officials are encouraging visitors to Henry Hagg Lake this Labor Day weekend to donate life vests for two borrowing stations close to the water.
Park rangers plan to collect any new or serviceable life vest at the park's fee booth so that they can be loaned to anyone recreating along the 14 miles of Hagg Lake's winding shoreline. Donations have also been long accepted at any fire station within Washington County.
The call for donations comes after a tragic incident earlier this week where four family members drowned within a short walk to one such kiosk.
"We are truly saddened by the four deaths that occurred on Hagg Lake this week and our hearts go out to the families affected by this loss," said Todd Winter, Washington County's parks superintendent. "Given Hagg Lake's size and nature, we rely on the public being responsible for their own safety whenever they choose to recreate here. Wearing life vests while in or near the water is critical."
Two life-vest sharing stations were installed on the banks of Hagg Lake as part of an Eagle Scout project in 2009. Since then, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue has worked in partnership with the county, the Sheriff's Office and other fire agencies to keep the kiosks supplied. The sharing stations were fully stocked the day of the recent tragedy.
Created by Scoggins Dam in 1975, Hagg Lake was designed as a water resource for drinking, agricultural and commercial uses. The lake is comprised of 53,000 acre-feet of water during its peak levels, or enough to fill 26,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Through a cooperative agreement with the lake's owner, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Washington County operates Scoggins Valley Park as a site for boating, fishing and other recreational uses.
"We are always looking for ways to better maintain and improve the park within the bounds of our resources," explained Winter. "We plan to work with our partner agencies and the public as we identify new ways to promote the safety of our 750,000 visitors each year."
Fire and rescue agencies ask that the public donate any new or serviceable life vest or jacket meeting the U.S. Coast Guard's Type III designation or better.
For this busy Labor Day weekend and for any visit to Hagg Lake, Washington County encourages people to follow the basic rules of swimming safety:
- Always swim with a buddy;do not allow anyone to swim alone.
- Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child's life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
- Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
- Maintain constant supervision.
- Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate water orientation and learn-to-swim course.
- Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.
- If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
- Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
- Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
More information is available at:
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/water-safety/swim-safety
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Safe-Kids-Coalition-Washington-County/107854649239436
http://www.co.washington.or.us/Support_Services/Facilities/Parks/Hagglake/
Contacts:
Philip Bransford, Communications Officer, County Administrative Office, 503-846-8685, [email protected]
Bruce Montgomery, Public Information Officer, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, 503-681-6178, [email protected]