Is your boat ready for Hagg Lake trout season?

It may not seem like it right now with snow mixing with the rain that is falling across our part of the metro area but spring is just around the corner. Maybe you were one of the hundreds that already got a jump on spring like activity and were at Henry Hagg Lake for the opening day of trout fishing season last weekend, or perhaps you are getting your boat ready for a spring break adventure in the coming weeks. If so, now is a great time to add safety to your checklist as you get ready for spring time fun.


The most recent statistics we uncovered were from 2005, but according to the CDC on average there are ten accidental drownings every day in the United States. In these some very surprising numbers show that men are four times more likely then women to drown, and that 30% of all children between 1 and 4 that died did so due to drowning. So what can you do to keep your family from falling into one of these statistics?


First, learn to swim. It seems silly, but learning to swim is an easy first step that can help you if you find yourself in a water emergency. The City of Forest Grove Aquatics Center has regular swimming education classes that you and your family can sign up for. They even have offerings for the littlest members of your family, so get the kids started young so they learn to not be afraid of the water and know what to do when they are older.


Second, do you have life jackets in your boat? Every person in your boat should have a life jacket and better yet everyone needs to be wearing one at all times they are on or even near the water. Guys, now is not the time to be macho, remember the statistics you are four times more likely to drown then the opposite sex. Think about it guys, without a life jacket you may not be able to help your family if an emergency does happen. Be sure to check your life jackets, make sure they are in good condition, free of damage, and that they will adequately float who is wearing them.


Third, some simple safety tools and preparation for your boat. Often times you're loaded down with fishing tackle for every species known to swim, but do you have a fire extinguisher in case your motor or new fish finder catches fire, and if you do have a fire extinguisher do you know where it is and if it is even charged? What about an extra oar in case the motor does give out? Some basic hand tools to fix small problems are another great thing to have on hand in case something breaks.

You don't want to meet these guys on the water. All of our career firefighters are trained in surface water rescue, as practiced here in 2009 jointly with firefighters from Hillsboro FD at Henry Hagg Lake, south of Forest Grove.

Finally, please stay sober when on the water. Just like driving, alcohol can drastically impair your ability to think clearly and act safely when your in your boat. A fun day can turn tragic in just a matter of minutes so please leave the beer at your camp.

All of our career firefighters are trained in water rescue techniques. In fact we provide regular swim standards training and also include boat and water rescue operations in our training schedule. We may not directly serve the Hagg Lake area, but we do respond with the firefighters from the Gaston RFPD to provide a boat to assist with their water rescue teams. We know its early, those warm days of July and August and all of the water sport that comes with them are still a far off thought, but Hagg Lake is open now, so before you get in your boat and limit out on trout, please make safety a priority for you and your family.