Texas Game Wardens say to keep an eye on younger swimmers in lakes

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - As the temperatures rise, more North Texas families will be heading for the water to beat the heat, and first responders want to remind people about the dangers.

In the past three days, there have been two drownings in North Texas lakes.

Texas game wardens say it's especially critical to keep a close watch on your kids when you're near the water. It only takes a few minutes for a child to drown, and it often happens silently.

Children under the age of 13 are required by law to wear a life jacket at all times while riding on a boat. They aren't required to if they're just swimming off the shore, but game wardens recommend it anyway.

"Wanted to bring the kids out and just get some sun," said Jesse Hatch, who came out to Lake Worth with her family. "They get bored at home. We can only do so many arts and crafts. They only like the faucet hose for so long, so this is kind of a nice alternative."

Hatch and her family stick to the shallow water, but they still make sure the kids wear life jackets.

"I think just being out there with them, not letting them in the water without adult supervision is really important," she said.

She's well aware drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of five.

According to the latest numbers from the state, 17 kids have drowned in Texas so far this year. That includes cases in Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin Counties.

Even if your child or teen is a strong swimmer, a lake has a completely different dynamic than a pool.

"You can't see how the incline decreases or increases," said Texas Game Warden Angeline Miller. "You don't know if there's a giant hole there. So unfortunately, when your kid starts to go out in the water, are they going to stay in 4 feet of water? I'm not sure. It may drop off and suddenly be 9 feet of water. In a lake, it's just so hard to tell."

Game wardens also respond to drownings involving teenagers and adults too. Sometimes people will jump off boats without a floatation device, or it slips off while they're swimming.

Boating accidents, often caused by intoxicated drivers, can injure people on the water as well.

"So we try to make sure that the drivers are sober, they're not intoxicated, because obviously that's going to affect their reaction time and judgement," Miller said. "So we look for that whenever we check water safety."

By law, every single person on a boat must have a life jacket that fits.