CLEAR LAKE – A boater was rescued from Clear Lake after becoming exhausted swimming to his children who were tubing behind the boat early Saturday evening.
Scott Davis, 40, of Clear Lake, was boating with his wife and four children on the southwest side of the lake near the Farmer’s Beach area. Two of the children were being pulled on tubes behind the boat when one of the tubes briefly went under water shortly after 5 p.m.
Davis jumped in the water fully clothed including his shoes and began swimming to toward the children. As he was swimming back with one of the children he began tiring quickly and was struggling in the water. His wife was eventually able to throw a life jacket to him and get him to the boat.
Water patrol officers from the Iowa Department Natural Resource responded to the family’s calls for help and assisted by getting the boat back to shore and alerting emergency medical personnel.
Davis was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa in Mason City where he was being treated for exhaustion Saturday evening.
“He (Davis) was fortunate that there was a life jacket available to throw to him, but he should have had it on when he entered the water. This serves as a reminder for boaters to wear life jackets especially when entering the water and not to be wearing clothing that can hinder their ability to swim,” said Bergman.
If you can’t swim why would you put your child a risk by taking them out in a boat and then not wearing a lifejacket?
I agree with Peter L. If you can’t swim out to the end of a rope, don’t put your kid on it.
When your children’s life is at risk, all thinking is lost, all you think about is your kids….Jim