Texas Game Wardens Stressing Lake Safety This Summer

GRAPEVINE (CBSDFW.COM) - If the Fourth of July holiday takes you out on the water, know that Texas game wardens will be out there too, watching over the lakes and stopping boaters to make sure that people are practicing safety while having fun outdoors.

Texas game warden Angel Miller jetted across Grapevine Lake, her eyes on foucsed on the water. "I think that when people get on the lake and start having fun, they forget about the safety aspects," she explained. "They forget it is possible to get hurt or drown."

Miller was not there to spoil the fun. She was there to keep boaters alive.

"Life jackets or something else might slip their mind, and that's why we're out here, to remind them and make sure they are being safe," Miller said. Life jackets can be borrowed for free at Grapevine Lake.

Through the Fourth of July week, expect to see extra patrols on North Texas lakes. Texas game wardens will be out making sure that recreational boaters are staying safe and obeying the laws. That includes having the proper safety equipment on board all vessels.

"We want to make sure everyone on the boat has a life jacket, that any child under 13 is wearing that life jacket and it fits properly," Miller continued. "We want to make sure they have a Type 4 throwable. It's a square cushion with straps, and you can throw it out if someone falls overboard or they're struggling to swim."

All boats must also have fire extinguishers, a horn or whistle for distress calls, and proper registration. Violators could face citations. "We know you're trying to enjoy your summer and have fun, but we want to make sure that you do that safely and everyone goes home," Miller added.

Also, boating while intoxicated, or BWI, carries the same penalties as driving drunk.