Owatonna DNR teaches water safety

Boys and girls attempting to sink canoes and boats might usually be frowned upon, but not when it comes to education.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. last Saturday at West Hills in Owatonna, DNR officers jumped in the pool with students 12 and up to teach boat and water safety. The class was broken into two sessions, a class session and in-pool session. 

About  10 kids came for the class, as well as one adult, 73-year-old Michael Tobin of Owatonna. 

“I have grandkids, and I wanted to see how they worked with kids, so I can work on this with my grandkids,” said Tobin. 

While Tobin attended the class period, he elected to watch the in-pool session from outside the water, but he still paid close attention to the tips, rules and instructions of the officers. Tobin said he was drawn to the class, not only for tips on teaching his family, but also for his own learning. 

“The laws change,” said Tobin. “This is the 2015 handbook, so it’s the most current.”

While this is only the second year the event has taken place in Owatonna, Park and Rec Administrative Assistant Mary Jo Knudsonrun the class in Waseca as well. Knudson said the class helps teach students rules and regulations, and that the water sessions helps instruct what to do in an emergency. Knudson added that the in-pool session was only added last year, partially triggered by a drowning accident. 

“The students learn that you can use many things as flotation devices. Even a duck decoy can keep you afloat,” said Knudson. 

To help teach the point, the pool was filled with coolers, duck decoys, seating pads and other common things found in boats. 

Third-year DNR officer, Chad Davis, added that even weighters can keep an individual afloat, if they are able to trap air in it. 

David added that many of the things taught in the pool are lessons DNR officers learn in the academy. 

Students were taught to re-enter a boat after falling out, fill weighters with air, hold on to a flipped canoe, safely walk across a boat and many other safety tips.

“They are learning things here that will be with them the rest of their life,” said Davis. “Hopefully they never need it, but if they do, we’ve taught them what to do.”