Guthrie County residents have plenty of options to enjoy their last ounces of summer fun, that includes several rivers and lakes. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Guthrie County Conservation Officer Jeremy King reminds those on the water to be safe.

The DNR mandates that children ages 13 and younger have a life vest on while a boat is on the water. A floatable seat cushion or life preserver is also required on a boat that is 16 feet or longer. King reminds boaters to have all required additional safety equipment on vessels, including working fire extinguishers.

King points out that a special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) wave on Lake Panorama back in July was well received by the public.

“I was overwhelmed by the amount of emails and phone calls I got from people, or text messages, saying ‘Hey, we appreciate you doing this. We we’re on the lake. We saw you that day. Thank you for coming out and keeping our family safe.’ So the public wants it and they were thankful that it was done. Since then, patrolling out there, my violations have gone way down. Almost non-existent honestly.”

To hear more from King on Labor Day safety, listen to today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program.