The WISE program teaches the public how to practice safety on water and ice.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office along with Freshwater officially declared Ice Out on Lake Minnetonka on March 29, 2025 at 1:32 p.m. This marks the unofficial kickoff to the boating season!
If you plan on being out on the water, please wear your life jacket and be reminded that the water is still cold, and hypothermia can set in quickly in these temperature’s. Your safety is our priority!
Weak swimmers or non-swimmers should wear life jackets.
Make sure life jackets are the correct size.
Adults should watch children even when the children are wearing a life jacket.
Water wings or other inflatable devices do not take the place of life jackets.
Watch your children and other swimmers
Actively watch when children are in – or near – the water. In 70% of child drownings, one or both parents were nearby. Avoid distractions like using cell phones or talking with other adults.
You must watch children even with lifeguards on duty.
Adult swimmers should watch out for each other, especially on lakes and rivers.
Borrow life jackets for free at Lake Minnetonka flotation stations
Gray’s Bay, 2831 County Road 101 South, Minnetonka, MN
Spring Park Bay, 4141 Shoreline Drive, Spring Park, MN
North Arm Bay, County Road 51, Mound, MN
Learn water safety
Teach your kids to swim and learn how to swim yourself.
Keep items near pools that can help rescue someone, like a shepherd’s (long) hook. If trying to rescue someone, hand something to them or pull them in with the hook.
Empty kiddie pools right after you use them.
Empty a bathtub right after you use it.
Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), a method to save someone’s life who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped.
