PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti and Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue held a press conference at Onota Lake on Tuesday to send a message to anyone who plans on being around the water this summer. 

“Every year thousands of accidents including fatalities occur on the water many of which are preventable whether you’re swimming in a pool, a lake or navigating a boat, safety should always be a top priority,” said Shugrue.

The district attorney’s office is focusing on preventing child drownings and among the steps they’d like to see families prioritize is making sure children learn how to swim, make sure they’re supervised around the water, and if they’re on a boat, follow the law and ensure kids under the age of 12 are wearing a life jacket.

Caryn Wendling says that last piece of advice goes for anyone.  

“The best practice is to wear a life preserver regardless of your age because if an emergency were to happen and you’re not able to swim on your own the preserver will at least keep you afloat until help arrives,” Wendling said.

Wendling rents boats at Onota Boat Livery. She demonstrated how to wear a lifejacket and where they keep them on their boats.

“If there’s any kind of an accident out there these need to be accessible for you to be able to throw to somebody or to put on in an emergency,” said Wendling.

To help keep people safe at Onota Beach this summer, the City of Pittsfield also announced they’re staffing lifeguards Friday through Monday from mid-July through the end of August.

“I want to emphasize that even with lifeguards present people should still practice their skills and remain diligent in navigating water bodies as we want to keep our communities safe,” said Marchetti.

Berkshire County cities and towns plan to have a series of water safety events this summer like free swim lessons and water safety read-alouds. They advise keeping an eye out on your town newsletters for information.