Sailing fatalities in TX

[RememberSchiff 3663]

Update 9/19/21:  Another death, Industry Oversight, Enforcement, Power Line Safety Initiative

The William Thomas Heath Power Line Safety Act  (WTH Act) was passed, yet two years later on June 3, 2021 another teen in a sailboat is a electrocuted in a West Texas lake. The police report:

*Clyde Lake Incident*

Last night Clyde PD Officers responded to an incident at Clyde Lake involving a boat that had struck a power line going out over the water. Preliminary details indicated that one individual was in the water pulling a sail boat back to shore that had become disabled, while other individuals were inside the boat. The boat struck a power line, which caused the line to contact the water. The individual in the water, Trevor Cate (age 18), was struck by the electric current, and became submerged under water.

Clyde Lake officials cut power at the lake, and officers responded to the scene. Officers were able to locate Trevor Cate and pulled him to shore. Citizens EMS began working on the victim and he was transported to Hendricks MC.

Trevor is a 2021 graduate of Clyde High School, we ask that you keep Trevor and his family in your prayers and thoughts.

Clyde Lake is temporarily closed.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/18-year-old-dies-after-being-electrocuted-in-west-texas-lake/2648670/

...

In memory of their son William, Stan and Michelle Brannon are fighting “ to prevent public injuries and fatalities due to unsafe power lines, to enhance legislative action, get active industry oversight and to continue public education,” said Michelle Brannon. “So far, this year, we have tracked over 100 bills during the recent session and we testified on two of those bills. We met with the authors of the bills to advise on how these bills could be amended and strengthened on public safety and enforcement. We have attended every Public Utility Commission (TX) meeting and have met with the new PUC commissioners concerning the enforcement of the WTH Act.”

Additionally, they have expanded their public education efforts by developing a website and logo and partnering with the National Safe Boating Council.

“Unfortunately, we realize our work may never be done,” said Brannon, noting their recent discovery of another fatal sailboat-power line incident involving the death of a teen in West Texas.

More details at sources:

https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/after-boy-scouts-deaths-hallsville-mother-works-to-promote-power-line-safety/article_99a1cc98-181d-11ec-ab3d-234996646ab9.html

https://powerlinesaredangerous.com/

Eternal vigilance.

Edited September 19, 2021 by RememberSchiff