Saturday kicked off National Safe Boating Week and Cabela's offered life jacket fittings and safety information that's recommended when operating a boat.
With the boating season coming up, safety experts are reminding boaters to take a safety course and to get a free vessel safety check before going out onto the water.
The number one thing to remember is that whenever on the water, it's always important to wear some sort of flotation device.
Jamie Klund, Cabela's Retail Marketing Manager, says last year many people could have survived boating accidents if they were wearing a life jacket.
"There were over six 600 people that died last year in boating accidents and 85% of them were not wearing a PFD, a personal flotation device, and in most cases those folks could've been saved had they just been wearing some kind of personal flotation device," says Klund.
And there are all kinds of different life jackets to choose from depending on the aquatic activity, but choosing a jacket that fits and that's comfortable will make the difference when keeping you afloat in an emergency.
Organizers say the appropriate time to put on a life jacket is when you step off the dock and get into the boat.
The National Safe Boating Council would also like to remind all boaters to be responsible and avoid consuming alcohol when operating a watercraft. Alcohol was the leading factor in 21 % of fatal boating accidents last year.
