SALT LAKE CITY The sun may be scorching, but the lake s still cold.
It doesn t take long even for confident swimmers in Utah s reservoirs to succumb to the effects of chilly water, which can cause shock, cramped muscles and difficulty breathing. After five people drowned in a little over a week in the Beehive State, officials are reminding the public of simple steps they can take to save their lives and others while out on the water.
Ty Hunter, state boating program coordinator, said he often hears after a tragedy that the deceased was a good swimmer. But staying afloat in open water is much different than in a pool or even in the ocean.