SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — The Summit County Sheriff's Office is asking Coloradans to do one simple thing that would save a lot of wasted time and energy.
The sheriff's office said in a release Wednesday that people who want to get out on the water should write their name and contact information on their paddleboards, kayaks and rafts to prevent unnecessary searches.
Search and rescue crews regularly respond to unattended vessels on Summit County's lakes and rivers, according to the sheriff's office, including twice this week. In both of those cases, the boats' owners were found safe on land.
Summit County Sheriff Ranger Kevin Kelble said they have to assume the worst when they find a kayak in the water with nobody in it.
"We are gonna always defer to the worst case scenario," he said. "And so as a result we end up using quite a bit of resources when we could have just had some simple answers and there's ways that we can do that."
In fact, it's a legal requirement for all vessels to display the owner's name and address.
"This is not just a recommendation; it's the law," said Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons in the release. "Furthermore, any vessel, whether it's a paddle board, kayak canoe, or any other type, that has an engine attached, including electric trolling motors, must have a current Colorado Boating registration."
FitzSimons said including a contact phone number with the owner's name and address is highly recommended.
The sheriff's office said with 20 drownings in Colorado so far, 2024 is on pace to become the deadliest year ever on Colorado waters.
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