State officials say bringing a life jacket to the water isn’t enough — they want you to wear it

Citing recent deaths at Utah's reservoirs, state officials are telling Utahns to wear their life jackets, instead of just bringing them to the water.

By: Annie Knox

Outlets: Utah News Dispatch

Published: July 24, 2026

Words: 506

Last Updated: 1 week, 3 days ago

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Utah is joining other states like Texas and Florida this summer, telling boaters, paddleboarders and anyone else heading to a lake or river to wear their life jackets in case something goes wrong. But a state official said Thursday their message doesn’t seem to be getting through.

“When you go skiing, everybody now is wearing a ski helmet. When you go mountain biking or motorcycle riding, people are wearing those helmets,” said Maj. Steve …

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