WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — Over the past two weeks, three people have drowned in incidents from the southern end of the state all the way to the north.
The incidents occurred at Sand Hollow State Park, Willard Bay Reservoir, and Bear Lake.
But over the weekend, a Utah woman found herself at the right place at the right time to prevent a fourth tragedy — a second one at Sand Hollow.
Anna Wood and her family have lived in southern Utah for about 12 years, often spending their weekends at Sand Hollow. On Saturday, they decided to do just that.
“It was definitely windy, which is pretty normal for Sand Hollow in the afternoon, but it was a really warm day, so we set out to have a good time,” Wood said.
What started off as smooth sailing quickly took a turn when she heard faint cries for help from their boat.
In the distance, Wood and her friends saw three young men struggling to swim. Two of them were able to swim back to shore, but the third person still needed help. Nearly 100 yards from the shoreline, Wood didn’t think twice about what she would do next.
“I asked my friend to get a life jacket out of the back of the boat. She grabbed me a life jacket. I remember jumping over the backseat of the boat and she said, 'You need to take two,'” Wood said. "Which I’m so grateful that she did. So she threw me another life jacket, and I got on my back and swam as hard as I could.”
WATCH: Water safety tips after multiple drowning deaths in Utah reservoirs
When she got close enough, she handed him a life jacket and helped him float. Because of the adrenaline and life jackets, she said they were able to make it to shore. When she got there, she said other bystanders had called first responders to help.
Lt. Brian Kurta with Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement said if somebody is in distress out in the water, it’s important to put on your life jacket first before attempting to help. That’s exactly what Wood did.
“All too frequent last year, this was the big cause of some fatalities that we did have out on the reservoir, people jumping in to rescue a pet, a family member, but they jumped in without their life jacket,” Kurta said.
He said Sand Hollow has a life jacket loaner station, so if you forgot your life jacket and need one, you can borrow one there. If you’re 13 years old or younger, you are required to wear a life jacket at all times.
He also said that temperatures in the water are much colder than outside, so it’s important to be prepared for any conditions.
“We want everybody to have a float plan. What that entails is watching the weather, create a place you’re going to go to, and let somebody know you’re going out there and when you expect to return,” Kurta added.
Wood said this weekend’s impromptu rescue gave her a new perspective on water safety.
“The severity of it was a lot more than I think a lot of us realized at the time. That’s why I think it’s just something I would do for anyone,” Wood said.
Although she didn’t want the attention from this save, she said she’s grateful that this was the outcome.
