OAKLAND COUNTY (WWJ) - Marine deputies in Oakland County will be out patrolling local lakes for boaters under the influence of drugs or alcohol this weekend as part of a national awareness and enforcement campaign aimed to prevent accidents and deaths.
The sheriff's office said deputies will take part in Operation Dry Water to ensure the county's 450 lakes and over 83,000 registered boats stay safe while on the water from July 2 to July 4.
“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,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a press release. “We know the Fourth of July holiday is the focal point of summer for many families. 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.”
The sheriff's office has the largest marine unit in the state, with 45 part-time marine deputies trained to respond to emergencies out in the county's many lakes.
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The unit is also comprised of a 13-member team of full-time deputies specially trained in dive and emergency rescue.
"They can dive in virtually any weather or water condition," the OCSO added.
The sheriff's office keeps 23 patrol boats, two rapid response jump boats, one hovercraft, six all-terrain vehicle and three special boats for emergency search and rescue efforts.
Deputies also contract with local communities to patrol 19in Oakland County, including 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.
Operation Dry Water was established in 2009 by the National Association of Sate Boating Law Administrators -- partners include the U.S. Coast Guard and local, state and federal law enforcement.
The sheriff's offices remains all boaters for the holiday weekend that it is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to include canoes and rowboats.
In light of Operation Dry Water, the OCSO provided these boating safety facts:
• 86 percent of people who drown in a recreational boating accident were not wearing a life jacket.
• Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is against federal and most state laws.
• Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion – stressors common to the boating environment – intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications.
• Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 23 percent of deaths, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
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