(WWJ) -- It’s no secret Oakland County is a hot spot for boating and water sports, especially on a holiday weekend like the Fourth of July.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Marine Deputies are gearing up for extra enforcement next weekend, July 2-4, as part of Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign to reduce alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities on the water.
With 450 navigable lakes and more than 80,000 registered boats in the county -- the most of any county in Michigan -- traffic on the water will be abundant and additional marine deputy patrols will be on the lakes for the holiday weekend.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is encouraging residents to enjoy that time safely and responsibly.
“We know the Fourth of July holiday is the focal point of summer for many families,” Bouchard said in a press release. “We want everyone to enjoy the many things that make Oakland County such an attractive destination, but we want the holiday to be a safe one. No matter whether you’re behind the wheel of a car or operating a boat, don’t drink alcohol and drive. There is only a downside for taking this kind of risk. Protect yourself, your family and your friends.”
Operation Dry Water was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and local, state and federal law enforcement. Officials say last year, 620 local, state and federal agencies participated in Operation Dry Water.
It is illegal in every state to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which includes canoes and rowboats, the sheriff’s office says.
Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is against federal and most state laws. Officials say sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion -- which are common stressors in boating environments -- intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications.
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Impairment can also make the waters even more dangerous for other boaters than car drivers, especially because most boaters have less experience and confidence when operating a boat than driving a car.
Officials say it’s important to wear a life jacket when on the water, as 86% of people who drown in recreational boating accidents were not wearing life jackets.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit is the largest in the state, with more than 45 part-time marine deputies who can quickly respond to emergencies on any of the lakes in the county.
The unit includes a 13-member team of full-time deputies who are highly trained in diving and emergency rescue. The sheriff’s office says “they can dive in virtually any weather or water condition.”
The unit has 23 patrol boats, two rapid response jump boats, one hovercraft, six all-terrain vehicles and three specialty boats for search and rescue emergencies. The Sheriff’s Office also contracts with 12 communities to patrol 19 lakes: Cedar Island, Deer Lake, Lake Orion, Lower Straits Lake, Lake Sherwood, Lakeville Lake, Maceday Lake, North Commerce Lake, Orchard Lake, Pine Lake, Pontiac Lake, South Commerce Lake, Sylvan Lake, Upper Long Lake, Voorheis Lake, Walled Lake, Walnut Lake, White Lake and Williams Lake.