Respect the lake, keep safety devices on board
Posted 7/3/03

A life-threatening predicament nearly 20 years ago sticks in the mind of the Mille Lacs County Support Services Director Dennis Boser as he patrols Mille Lacs Lake.

Boser (former Mille Lacs County Sheriff) is responsible for the county's boat and water department, search and rescue team and the snowmobile patrol.

Life jackets, throw cushions and fire extinguishers are the safety items he's looking for when approaching boats.

Most people are in compliance, Boser says.

"I've never had anyone not have enough PFDs. I think they respect the lake," Boser added.

And he certainly respects the lake.

Back in the early 1980s, Boser and his brother-in-law were fishing for walleyes on Mille Lacs Lake. It was a cool night in October and they were trolling in rough waters when one of the lines got hung up.

The 19-foot boat they were in hit a rock near an island and the two quickly found themselves in a serious situation.

As the boat began to fill with water, the men abandoned it and scrambled to the rock pile known as Hennepin Island.

Wet, cold and surrounded by darkness, hypothermia was a serious concern.

What likely saved them was a book of matches. Crawling over rocks and searching in the dark during that black moon, they managed to find enough driftwood to keep a fire burning while they stared at the lights on shore.

The next morning, 12 hours later, they were rescued by two men.

"It could have been a bad situation," Boser recalls.

That harrowing experience left an indelible impression on Boser and a healthy respect for the massive lake.

With the help of state and federal grant monies and county tax dollars, Boser now works the very lake he learned his lesson on, ensuring others have the safety equipment they may need someday.

Each boat is required to carry one life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) per person, along with a throw cushion or ring. And for the boats that have an enclosed gas tank, a fire extinguisher must be on board as well.

Boat registration tabs are also checked to make sure they are current and each license number is recorded as well.

Boser and Don Zaske, the other part-time boat and water and search and rescue person, patrol the lake mostly on the weekends when traffic is busiest.

For emergency situations, Boser is on call 24 hours a day. And there are approximately 30 volunteers who are on call to assist in search and rescue efforts.

According to Boser, there were some pretty dangerous rescue operations last summer. The search and rescue team is hoping to avoid a repeat this year.

With the Fourth of July holiday and summer temperatures increasing, the boat traffic on the lake increases as well and safety is always an issue.

But Boser adds, "If they respect it, they'll do okay here."