Montgomery, AL –For the majority of people, for most, the Labor Day holiday weekend marks the closing of summer and the start of football in the wonderful State of Alabama. If you plan to get rid of the heat by visiting the beach or at the lake or visiting your family and friends or attending a collegiate kickoff, safety must be an important topic for everyone this weekend.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Secretary Hal Taylor said, “We know that this is a busy weekend, and many will be out and about or taking in the scenic waters of Alabama. With a predicted high amount of traffic on our waterways and roads We want to remind all drivers to prepare for the future, and allow you plenty of time to get to your destination, and be considerate of conduct towards other drivers and boaters. A bit of courtesy can be a big help in the event of driving in a crowded road or operating a boat in a busy region. The ALEA’s strategy for success this season is sharing education opportunities, provide high-visibility information and offer excellent service in addition to protection to ensure that everyone gets home safely and in the company of their loved family members.”
This year this year’s official travel time starts with 12:01 a.m. Friday, September. 1 and will conclude at midnight on the Monday of Sept. 4. The Agency is getting ready for the four-day holiday by disseminating a variety of useful safety reminders on social media, and hosting media days in six locations throughout the state before the official travel time. The ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division has already launched the nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign that began on Wednesday, August. 16 and continues until Monday, September. 4. The initiative is a national one that provides high-visibility enforcement and a variety of driver’s license checkpoints across the state. To move it higher this time, ALEA has joined forces with law enforcement counterparts across the southeast region to take part at the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “No Driving Under the Influence Friday” in an effort to target impaired driving.
“We hope that everyone understands that our main goal is to protect our citizens by enforcing laws of the state,” said Director of the ALEA’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) Colonel Jon Archer. “The Drive Sober and No DUI Friday campaign is a way to make clear that driving drunk is illegal and is a reckless decision that could drastically alter or even kill someone within the flash of an eye. We’re encouraging everyone to take responsibility and be aware, especially when you are planning to consume alcohol, and we require your help in protecting our communities.”
Additionally to crowded football and holiday traffic ALTA Troopers are monitoring Idalia. Idalia and are preparing for any evacuationees who could need to seek asylum in Alabama.
“The storm is expected to strike Florida’s Big Bend of Florida on Wednesday. However, we’re estimating that people who leave to Alabama might be on roads returning home during the long weekend of the holiday. We will have a full complement of Troopers on duty throughout the week and during the Labor Day holiday to assist our residents as well as travelers to Florida,” said ALEA Highway Patrol Chief Will Wright.
As Idalia is expected to make landfall, Idalia is expected to make its way towards our eastern part, our forecast is expected to remain calm for the majority of Alabama over the holiday weekend, during which beachgoers and boaters anticipate gorgeous weather and a reduced chance of strong rip currents on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. However the Agency wants to remind residents and tourists that a minor shift in weather conditions, like a major storm, could quickly alter the forecast for rip currents. We urge anyone who is at the beach to monitor the current weather and surf conditions from a reliable source. Alabama Weather advisories can be found here.
The beach-goers are once again able to anticipate seeing helicopters from the agency fly over the beach during the bustling Labor Day weekend. In 2022, the The ALEA’s Aviation Unit partnered with first responders in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to provide a rescue swimmer Detail throughout the three long weekend holidays in the summer time: Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. For these specific times the responders are dispatched via aircraft to help swimmers who are in trouble. This weekend is the time when the Agency will again use an aircraft for beach safety flights as well as patrol for areas in which lifeguards aren’t readily available.
The Troopers who are available in AL’s Marine Patrol Division will also be on hand to help not just those who are boating close to the coast, but also across the state’s main waterways.
“No whatever time of the season it may be, everybody should be armed with a safety checklist to ensure that everything that is on your vessel is good functioning order. This includes lighting for navigation, fire extinguishers and PFDs approved by the Coast Guard that are properly fitted,” said ALEA Marine Patrol Chief Steve Thompson. “Know the rules for navigation on the water, don’t operate a vessel if you are impaired and always be respectful. This weekend you can expect an array of water activities, from water sports to paddle boats to fishing and swimming. Let’s do our part to keep the waters safe for everyone to take pleasure in.”
On Labor Day, ALEA is working in conjunction with Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to inform the public about the quality of water and fish advisory warnings in local regions. Troopers from AL’s Marine Patrol Division will assist in the distribution of cards with an QR code, which will direct users to the website for water quality at ADEM’s website once they scan it. They will be able to locate links to consumption warnings arranged by area, maps which highlight any recent sewer leak or accidental discharge, as in maps of beach monitoring stations that offer the most recent water quality test results.
“We are thrilled and thankful to work with ALEA to provide this vital information about water quality to the general public in order to protect the health of their loved ones,” stated ADEM Director Lance LeFleur. “We hope that everyone who uses or is planning to use our state’s waterways and beaches whether for swimming, fishing or boating to have access to the most recent information regarding the status of fish advisories and beach monitoring, as well as wastewater discharges, and sewer spills or overflows. The information is accessible to anyone using an internet-connected device.”
“Alabama is blessed with water resources, and we’re happy to be partnering with another state agency in sharing those resources with the aim of keeping everyone protected,” Secretary Taylor said. “We hope that everyone enjoys an enjoyable and safe celebration on Labor Day.”
