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Water rescues begin as boating season gets underway

Cornelius Police Lieutenant Steve Davis said all boaters should ensure they have proper life preservers, fire extinguishers, a noise-making device (i.e. whistle or air horn) and water bottles.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As the 2018 boating season kicks off, police officers patrolling Lake Norman urge boaters to take their safety seriously.

The message comes less than a day after rescue crews in Burke County pulled two kayakers and a rafter to safety. They were stranded on the Catawba River near Lake James.

Burke County emergency manager Mike Willis said crews were dispatched around 7 p.m. on Monday after Duke Energy opened the gates to the Lake James Dam. He credited each person for wearing a life jacket, which made the rescue successful.

Cornelius Police Lieutenant Steve Davis said all boaters should ensure they have proper life preservers, fire extinguishers, a noise-making device (i.e. whistle or air horn) and water bottles.

"If we have an incident where somebody goes into the water, they have a life jacket on, it could mean the difference between life and death," Lt. Davis said. "For us, it could mean the difference between a rescue and recovery."

Multiple law enforcement agencies, organizations and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be on the water this Saturday to inspect boats as part of Lake Safety Day.

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