Boys’ Lives saved thanks to Loaner Life Jackets

The collaborative efforts of a Hartwell Lake corps ranger and bystander saved two boys’ lives after they struggled to swim from a remote buoy to the beach shoreline on June 3. The incident occurred near the Singing Pines Recreation Area when Corps Park Ranger Tim Crabtree, patrolling the area, noticed the dangerous situation and motioned the pair to return to safe waters. After one of the boys became winded trying to swim toward shore, the pair retreated to the anchored float. As Crabtree prepared to deliver loaner life vests to the boys clinched onto a “Boat Keep Out” buoy, Alexandria Gunter, another visitor swimming in the area, offered to deliver the life vests to the stranded swimmers. Gunter, a self-described avid swimmer who lives near Hartwell Lake, said she volunteered because she was available to assist, even though the buoy was isolated and far from the shoreline. The impromptu rescue operation took nearly 20 minutes. Scott Kelley, a Corps natural resource program manager, warns that the “Boat Keep Out” buoy markers must be at least 100 feet from delineated swimming areas. They are intended to protect designated swimming beaches and should not be destinations swimmers seek while in the water, especially without a life jacket. “Distances by water are difficult to gauge,” said Kelley. “By the time you realize it is too far, you have put yourself a considerable distance from safety.” Visitors who swim outside of designated areas risk being surprised by unexpected drop-offs or caught in the trappings of dangerous waters. Most of these hazards can be mitigated by wearing a life jacket, said Kelley. Hartwell Lake has a life jacket loaner stand at every designated swimming area at the site. Each stand is equipped with sizes for all ages and body types. The stands offer safety and convenience and reinforce the message to “Wear It,” a Corps slogan used to promote water safety. To date, Hartwell Lake officials have reported three water-related fatalities, including the July 4 drowning of 21-year-old Odell Gaither, who died of complications of drowning after jumping off a dock. At all Savannah Corps lake sites, visitors swim at their own risk. The Corps encourages adults to watch children because most people drown within 10 feet of safety. Many shorelines have drop-offs and swimmers can be pulled under by the current.