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Life Vests Saved Group On Sinking Boat

Reporter: Lily Wu

Life Vests Saved Group On Sinking Boat

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Life vests helped save eight people and a dog at El Dorado Lake this afternoon.

"We knew that we had to have enough life jackets in the boat but we didn't expect to actually have to use them," said Emily Hammond.

Hammond and her friends were on a boat when they hit a tree. She said the crash may have caused a hole and the boat to sink.

"We had the amount [of life vests] that we needed. We put our life vests on and we just prayed for the best. Luckily, we were able to get a hold of the jet ski that got a boat for us," said Hammond.

At El Dorado Lake, anyone under 13 years of age is required to have a life vest while on a boat.

"That is a very key aspect to boating. People tend to forget on boats, there's no breaks and there's no stepping out. Life jackets are something that our department has pushed very hard in the last three or four years," said Seth Turner, park manager at El Dorado Lake and State Park.

Turner also had a few tips for people who will be visiting lakes and parks this season.

"Safety's a key out here. Just like anywhere else, both on the land and the water, be safe, be courteous to the other people that are out here," he said. "Everybody's out here to have a good time. We want everybody to have a good time, so treat them like you'd want to be treated yourself."