While many Oklahomans are out and about during the Labor Day weekend, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said they want people to think about safety.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Troopers said they’re expecting many residents to be outside this weekend, enjoying their free time at lakes and other places.Todd Bridgewater was among the many visitors at Lake Hefner fishing or kiteboarding on Sunday. "It's a little toasty today as you can tell, but also, the wind is very gentle. So, I thought it would be a good time to come out to give it a try for myself and also for my son here," Bridgewater said. But the patrol cautions there are several dangers to look out for, including potential drownings.Troops said you need to make sure you have all the safety measures in place before you’re on the water, including bringing life jackets, fire extinguishers and even a whistle.>> Download the KOCO 5 AppAnother danger with the holiday weekend is impaired drivers."Normally, we don't really drive past the sundown or anything like that. We kind of keep to ourselves a little bit whenever it comes to stuff like that," Shane Beatty, who was visiting Lake Hefner, said. According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, in 2021, about 15 wrecks involving alcohol happened on the Labor Day weekend, with a few of the wrecks being deadly.Troopers said they hope you’re cautious not only for yourself, but others as well, whether on the road or on a lake.“The more people that are out there, the chances increase for something bad to happen. People get out there on the lakes, and they don’t drink responsibly, and when you mix alcohol with boating and you’re in a boat that’s not properly equipped or have people who haven’t been educated on what to do out there, and they think they know what they’re doing - it’s a recipe for disaster,” said Ryan Griffith with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.While many are enjoying time away from the office this holiday weekend, first responders said they are still working to make sure Oklahomans are safe. "It's usually fun, but a lot of it is thinking about the people that aren't off on this day like, all the first responders and stuff, so we want to thank them," Beatty said. Top HeadlinesFeed delivered to ranch where dozens of horses died contained monensin, preliminary tests showFrom life sentences to an all-too-easy escape from prisonIsrael recovers the bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-PolinOklahoma City park stripped of copper, leaving residents without a place to cool off for Labor Day weekendEdmond Public Schools superintendent releases statement on recent flag controversy, new guidelines