First responders emphasize water safety during Memorial Day weekend

MINNETONKA, Minn. — For many Minnesotans, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the boating season.

At Lake Minnetonka, first responders prepare for crowds of thousands to hit the water.

This week, however, the U.S. Coast Guard is emphasizing the importance of water safety and sharing data showing how common boating accidents and injuries are.

In 2022, the USCG says, 636 people died in boating accidents nationwide — and another 2,222 people were injured. Additionally, boating accidents caused $63 million dollars in property damage.

“It’s a lot of people’s first time on a lake – they might not know how to drive a boat either – driving could be a little more careless, not as aware of the dangers,” said Brent Anderson, a paramedic at Hennepin Healthcare riding with Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Crews on Lake Minnetonka on Saturday.

Anderson says boaters are still at risk of hypothermia early in the season, even when outside temperatures are high.

“When you get hypothermia, you don’t think straight. You might think you’re hot. You just don’t function well — you have to be careful with it,” Anderson said.

New research from the Centers for Disease Control also reveals something surprising increase in the number of drownings across America since the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022, 4,500 people drowned each year in the US, which equates to approximately 500 more drowning deaths per year compared to 2019.

It is also the leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 4, and drownings in that age group increased by 28% in 2022 compared to 2019.

“CDC’s drowning prevention experts have collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States,” said Debra Houry, CDC Chief Medical Officer. By understanding the barriers people face in accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training, we can better understand how to address these barriers, reduce drownings and save lives.”

More than a third of Black adults reported not being able to swim, compared to 15% of all adults, and 72% of Hispanic adults reported never having taken swimming lessons, according to CDC data.

In Minneapolis, the Park Board will offer swimming lessons for children ages 3 to 17 at five different locations starting June 17. Scholarships are available to help improve access and affordability.