LAKE TRAVIS — On the heels of a record-setting 12 lake fatalities in 2006, the Lake Travis Safety Team plans to combat last year’s grim numbers with increased patrols and a focus on alcohol.
The Lake Travis Safety Team (LTST) is a multi-agency public safety organization comprised of emergency response and law enforcement groups that have jurisdiction on or adjacent to Lake Travis. Members of the LTST coordinate patrol times and locations on the lake to provide better coverage of the 64-mile-long lake to help improve response to minor medical and emergency requests.
During a news conference today at Mansfield Dam, representatives of LTST agencies shared their plans to increase the number of lake patrol boats to an unprecedented number of 14 for busy holiday weekends. LCRA, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office are the primary agencies that patrol Lake Travis. This year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will double the number of boats it has on the lake from three to six on holiday weekends. Lake officers from all three agencies are licensed peace officers able to enforce state laws on water and land, including more than 15 public parks around the lake.
Two of those parks - Mansfield Dam Recreation Area and Bob Wentz at Windy Point - are popular swim areas where three people drowned last year.
Because eight of the 12 Lake Travis fatalities were swimmers last year, the LTST urged both boaters and swimmers to be safe, use good judgment and be conscious of any alcohol use.
Toxicology tests conducted on 11 of the 12 Lake Travis fatalities showed a blood alcohol concentration in eight of the victims ranging from .03 to .25. The legal limit for intoxication in Texas is .08 blood alcohol concentration.
Law enforcement officers also said they plan to closely watch for boat operators who are intoxicated, but also people riding in the boat for public intoxication due to several boating-related fatalities last year that involved people falling from, jumping from or sliding off boats.
In 2001, Gov. Rick Perry signed House Bill 63, which added driving while intoxicated by boat to the state’s automatic license revocation law. Those who refuse a breath test in Texas face a driver’s license suspension of 180 days.
Boating safety starts before you leave for the lake
While conduct on the lake is critical to water safety, having the right equipment on board boats is equally important. Hudson Bend Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Robert Abbot reminded people that boating safety needs to start before boaters arrive at the lake. Boat fires are common accidents on the lake every year, and boaters frequently don’t have the right fire extinguishers for their boats. It also is important to let boats cool down after use before putting them in garages or dry-stack storage facilities.
To make sure boaters have all of the required safety equipment, Austin Power Squadron Executive Officer Ginny Strong encouraged boaters to have their boat inspected. Free boat inspections will be offered this Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sail and Ski in Lakeway, 1106 RR 620 north.
Lake Travis Safety Team (LTST) members
The Lake Travis Safety Team’s mission is to work cooperatively to ensure the public has a safe and enjoyable lake experience and to provide a coordinated response to public safety issues on and around Lake Travis.
The LTST encourages lake visitors to pay attention to where they are on the lake by learning the buoys and landmarks. This information greatly improves the response time to accidents when they occur on the lake.
Members of the LTST include representatives from the following agencies:
Travis County Sheriff’s Office
Pedernales Fire Department and Emergency Services
Hudson Bend Fire Department
Lago Vista Fire Department
Lago Vista Police Department
Volente Fire Department
LCRA
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services
Travis County Parks
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Lakeway Police Department
Civil Air Patrol
Jonestown Police Department
North Lake Travis Fire Department
Austin Fire Department
Travis County Emergency Unit Volunteer Dive Team
For more information about how to play it safe on the water, go to nobodyswaterproof.com.
