OHP Celebrate Zero Lake Drownings Over The Weekend
While 2020 may have a pretty bad rap for crazy, global events that have changed the world as we know it, there is a silver lining in the Sooner State... The Oklahoma Highway Patrol didn't have to respond and work any drownings over the Labor Day Weekend. It might not seem like an accomplishment, but if you If you can remember hearing the safety messages around every Labor Day in years past warning people about drowning/drinking/swimming/etc... you should know it's been a persistent problem in Oklahoma waters for a long time.
A lot of this issue stems from two main arguments heard about lake drownings. First and foremost, people like to party at Oklahoma lakes. It's really the last big weekend where it's popular to launch a boat, pull ashore at whatever "party beach" the locals frequent, and crack open a can of whatever cheap beer the store had on sale that morning. It's hot, music is blaring, people are having a good time, and the beer flows like champagne... Pretty soon, someone has had too much of a good time and suddenly people realize and ask "Where did _______ go?" It's a very common tail.
On the flip side of that, most people don't realize that every sizeable lake in Oklahoma is man made. Oklahoma is a land of rivers, and early in the 20th century, America was a country of reservoirs and hydroelectric power, naturally, in damming up river systems to create lakes, there aren't very many bodies of water with a predictable bottom. Obstructions exist all over lakes in Oklahoma, whether it be trees, rocks, or other obstacles, swimming in lakes and rivers isn't as safe as it is fun. Adding alcohol to the mix certainly doesn't help.
Since life is all about the small things, take this past weekend and put it in the WIN column for 2020. It certainly needs as many as we can muster.