East Texas officials encourage lake safety after recent drownings
Posted/updated on: June 27, 2025 at 3:11 am
TYLER – Lake Tyler Marina owner, Brent Allen, is ready for summer visitors but he wants people to take the steps to make sure everyone has a fun and safe day at the lake.
“This has absolutely been the worst year on in recent memory for accidents on lakes in East Texas,” Allen said.
According to a report from our news partner KETK, in Henderson County, two young children drowned after getting trapped beneath their capsized boat. A 43-year-old man also drowned while swimming to his flotation device.
“We’ve answered to a number of different water-related incidents, all of them very tragic,” Smith County Emergency Services District 2 Assistant Chief Charles Clanton said.
Smith county emergency service district 2 said it’s important to always keep a life jacket on and have extras on hand.
“Having throwables very close by and ready to deploy in the event that someone is overboard or some type of an emergency occurs,” Clanton said.
Anyone on kayaks and paddle boards, he recommends staying in safe areas and creating a plan for how to get back on their craft if they fall or flip over. Another piece of advice is to keep a whistle and light on these vessels.
“Everything from light to sound devices, whether it be a whistle or horn or whatever, something to get attention and to get assistance,” Clanton said.
Another issue the summer season presents is pop-up showers where, in just minutes, the lake can go from sunny and clear to rainy and choppy after rain starts pouring.
“Put a little wind on the water and create some waves, very dangerous situation,” Clanton said. “You have to think about that and be prepared for it.”
For families swimming on the shoreline, he recommended having someone watching the water so everyone at the lake can enjoy the cool waters safely.
“A profound sense of awareness is so important and really keeping an eye on those that are a high probability to have issues, small kids, maybe those that are elderly and disabled,” Clanton said.
