INDIANAPOLIS — The recent tragic deaths of two Indiana University students at Monroe Lake happened just as temperatures around the Indiana began rising.
Conservation officers say it's a sobering reminder that boating and water safety are critical during these warm spring days and throughout the year.
"We see it certain times of the year where people do get overwhelmed with being in a body of water. But there's a lot of factors that go into it – foul weather, windy days, cold water, maybe if they've consumed alcoholic beverages or drugs," said Brent Bohbrink, Indiana conservation officer.
And this time of the year, these warm days can be deceiving. As temperatures topped 80 Wednesday, Bohbrink said water temperatures in lakes are far colder. Jumping in can stun you, even make you hypothermic.
"Cold water does rob your body of heat at a much higher rate than air. It also dulls your dexterity, it reduces your manual dexterity so your body parts, your hands, can't function as well. The lifejacket is just going to assist with keeping you above water and giving you buoyancy," Bohbrink said.
That cold water can be even harder to navigate if you've been drinking.
"Does alcohol affect your senses in the water? Absolutely," Bohbrink said. "You tend to lose mobility, you tend to lose correct thought process. It dulls your senses."
Having one lifejacket per person on boats and a throwable life preserver on watercraft over 16 feet are Indiana law. And it can save your life.
In groups, Bohbrink said a buddy system can help you notice quickly when someone goes under.
"When they're in the water struggling, they get overwhelmed, they're scared. So do your best to get their attention, sometimes you're able to talk them into self-rescuing themselves. If not, the old adage 'reach, throw, row, go', so you might have the ability to throw something to them. Worst case, if you have to, you may jump in to save them if you feel you can," Bohbrink said.
After the tragedy at Monroe Lake, Bohbrink said it's a reminder to take extra care as we get closer to warm days on the water.
"Even good swimmers can struggle at times, regardless of their ability," he said.
If someone goes underwater and you're unable to help, Bohbrink said call 911 immediately. Consider marking your location on GPS or even dropping an anchor to help give an emergency responders an exact location for their search.