Tyler’s Travels Water Safety Series: Blue lights on the lake

Captain Tyler Ryan learns about the required safety gear when out on the water

LAKE MURRAY SC (WOLO) – South Carolina waterways are generally patrolled by various law enforcement agencies, and in many cases, several agencies share the duty, including Lake Murray.  With 50,000 acres and over 500 miles of shoreline, Miss Murray, as she is often called, is a pretty large area to be responsible for.  In the case of Lake Murray, you will see The Richland, Saluda, and Lexington County Sheriff’s departments, The United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Natural Resources.  The later, of course, are responsible for many aspects of law enforcement, regulation, education, and safety not only on the States waters, but also in the realm of hunting, and security of various power plants.

On any given weekend over the summer, you will see a large officer presence, who are there to enforce the laws, respond to complaints, accidents, and ensure that boaters are complying with laws when it comes to safety equipment while on the water.

According to DNR Private First Class Sydney Grant, interactions with law enforcement generally follows an infraction of a law, complaint, or other circumstance.  Once the encounter happens, and the business at hand is concluded, DNR and the other agencies will often perform a “safety inspection,” which includes ensuring all the required equipment is present.

PFC Grant says that things that law enforcement will be looking for includes:

• Registration, that is valid, and matches the numbers on the side of the vessel
• Personal flotation devices (PFDs) for each person on board, that fit properly
• A throwable device, that is readily accessible
• A fire extinguisher (1 for boats under 26 feet)
• A sound making device (horn, air horn, or whistle)

Although visual distress signals are not required on inland waters, they are also a good thing to have, as well as a first aid kit to handle minor injuries.

You can learn more about water safety HERE.

If you are looking for boating instruction or hands-on training, you can check out THIS link.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tyler Ryan is an award winning television and radio personality, weather forecaster, writer, investigative journalist, and professional emcee.  He appears daily on ABC Columbia’s Good Morning Columbia, as well as hosting the syndicated radio program Carolina Cares on the South Carolina Radio Network, and the iHeart Radio Network.  Tyler also regularly appears as a criminal expert and journalist on regional and national crime based programs like Snapped and Killer Couples. 

Tyler is also a United States Coast Guard licensed Boat Charter Captain, and nationally certified boating instructor, and operator of Lake Murray Boat Training.

You can contact him directly via EMAIL Or on the socials: Tyler’s Instagram  // Tyler’s Facebook