SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – As families head to the lake this summer, water safety is once again top of mind. One Springfield native is giving boaters and swimmers another way to check for potentially dangerous hazards beneath the water.<\/p>\n
Blake Doran, a Systems Engineer, says he grew up going to Table Rock Lake. He says, of course, safety flotation devices are important, but being aware of what lurks under the water is just as serious as what is above. <\/p>\n
After the tragic loss of a family friend, Doran says he wanted to use his skills to create something that would help people stay safe on the water; thus came the creation of ClearDepth…an app that helps people mark and identify hazards in the water.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I go by and see a hazard and say, wow,that\u2019sreally dangerous, I might share it on Facebook, and 10 people will see it. But if I could put it in one place where someone who\u2019s actually in that location could look and say, oh, okay, let me see if there\u2019s anything dangerous here. Oh, I need to stay away from this area. I don\u2019t want my kids swimming in this area. I\u2019m not going to go boating in this area. Let\u2019s go over to this other side of the lake. It should improve safety,\u201d said Doran.<\/p>\n
Doran said a big part of the app is community input and explains how the app works.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can zoom in to get as fine and accurate as we can. You can tap into each card, right? So here tells you that there\u2019s a stump, the location for it. Right now, it\u2019s half a foot above the surface. It gives you another little map view of where it\u2019s at. People can add pictures or notes. And then there are some of the community\u2019s votes. So, this one\u2019s already got one confirmation vote of someone saying, Yes, I saw that same hazard right there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doran says the app has 200 lakes across the county with the majority of the users in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma…Doran said so far there are over 40 hazards marked at Table Rock Lake. <\/p>\n
Trevor Goodman said he is not aware of the app, but he does go kayaking. He added, Common sense will get you far and keep you safe.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile you\u2019re out there having fun, I mean, the biggest thing is just to be aware of your surroundings. That will help you in any facet in life. You see a branch, don\u2019t go too close to it, you know. And if something looks shallow, it might be. And then if the water\u2019s choppy, you probably shouldn\u2019t be on it, you know. So, it just depends. You\u2019ve got to be vigilant and aware of what\u2019s going on,\u201d said Goodman.<\/p>\n
Doran said the goal is simple: give people another tool to help them make safer decisions while enjoying a day out on the lake.<\/p>\n
For those interested in water safety and boating education, you can take state-approved courses through the Missouri State Highway Patrol Safety Education Classes<\/a> or complete a virtual option via Boat-Ed Missouri.<\/a><\/p>\n To download ClearDepth click the link below:<\/p>\n Google Play Store: ClearDepth<\/a>Apple App Store: ClearDepth<\/a><\/p>\n