The alarm screeched from two docks in the same cove. It was the week before Memorial Weekend 2018 — not a good time for electricity to scorch through a cove close to one of the Lake’s hottest pool bars.
It turns out, the source was from a most unusual suspect — a seawall.
It was installed while the water was low, but during the pouring of footings crews apparently cut into electric conduit running from a junction box to a meter, charging the rebar running 100 feet inside the seawall.
The issue sizzled, but did not emerge until the water level raised to submerge metal eyelets in the seawall.
“The entire cove electrified setting off Dock Lifeguards on two docks owned by one of our clients,” said Dave Hotz, owner of Dock Lifeguard, a company dedicated to keeping families safe from the silent killer, electric shock drowning.
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If the Dock Lifeguard alarm sounds:
• If you are in the water, do NOT swim toward the dock.
• Swim away from the current and away from the dock. Swim to the middle of the cove and have someone pick you up by boat.
• If you are on your dock, get off the dock and call 911 and your electrician.
• Turn off power off to the dock.
• If a swimmer reports pain, tingling or numbness in the water do not go into the water. Instead, quickly turn off the electrical source to the dock and throw a life ring to the swimmer, row out to them, or, if possible, reach out to grab them.