The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is emphasizing boating safety over Memorial Day Weekend.

According to Marion County DNR Officer Eric Hoffman, it’s crucial to check your boat and equipment before you go out, especially if it’s the first time out on the water for the year, to always let someone know you’re going out and when you expect to return, make sure anyone below the age of 13 is wearing a life jacket, and when you’re at the dock or boat launch to stay inside the boat. Hoffman says there are several other items that you are required to have on board while on the water.

“For each boat it’s required that you have a life jacket for each occupant in the boat. If your boat is over 16 feet in length we also require that you have a type four throwable device. It looks like a life ring or a seat cushion. Something that you can throw if someone would go in the water overboard to give them a little bit of floatation until you can get a life jacket on them, and then a fire extinguisher, and a sounding device is the major safety equipment you need before you go out.”

Hear more from Hoffman about boating safety on Monday’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.