KCSO: Warm air does not mean warm water

Warm air, cold water and one wet deputy.

Deputies with the King County Sheriff's Office Marine Rescue Unit (MRU), with support from members of the Kirkland Fire Department and Explorers, hosted a training day on Lake Washington.

Look across any lake and you'll see proof that stand-up paddle board sales have skyrocketed. With that in mind, the focus of this training scenario was rescue and recovery when a new paddleboarder falls off their board and experiences cold water immersion.

Cold water immersion is caused by the initial shock of the cool water, which may result in panic that compromises your ability to swim and get back on the board. 

The 'paddleboarder' pictured here is a KCSO MRU deputy who agreed to 'take the plunge' in the name of training.

Remember that water temperatures across King County will not peak until late July. Warm air does not mean warm water. 

Use caution when enjoying our abundant lakes, rivers and shorelines. Most importantly always wear your life vest, even if you believe you are a strong swimmer.