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Coast Guard New York kicks off National Safe Boating Week 2015

May 15, 2015

NEW YORK - The Coast Guard, along with the National Safe Boating Council, is encouraging boaters to take part in National Safe Boating Week, May 16 - 22, 2015.

The theme for National Safe Boating Week this year is "Wear It!" Click here for more information and promotional materials.

The purpose of National Safe Boating Week is to promote safe boating practices during the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend for recreational boaters, in an effort to reduce preventable accidents and deaths.

U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in three-fourths of recreational boating fatalities in 2014, and that 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets.

“Each year hundreds of people lose their lives, and they may still be alive if they had been wearing a life jacket,” said John Johnson, chief executive officer of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. “You never know when there may be a boating mishap, so it’s important that everyone onboard always wears a life jacket.”

The Coast Guard encourages boaters to take a safer approach during the 2015 boating season while on the water. Some important safety measures that can save your life are:

  • Wear a lifejacket; they save lives!  For safety, boaters are required to have one Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person aboard their vessel and they must be in serviceable condition.  In New York and New Jersey waterways, children 12 years of age and younger are required by law to wear a life jacket at all times when on the deck of a recreational vessel is underway. 
  • Take multiple forms of communication devices and extra batteries and chargers. Always remember VHF-FM radio is the primary communications network for the maritime boating community.  Enabling the Digital Selective Calling features on your VHF-FM marine radio can broadcast your location and information to every boat within range in an emergency. Also consider a personal emergency beacon and ensure it is registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  • Check all required safety equipment to be sure it is in good working order. Vessel safety checks by the Coast Guard Auxiliary are free. Trained examiners help boaters review their equipment and give advice about how to improve safety. Vessels that pass the exam may display a safety decal on their vessel.
  • File a float plan before you get underway detailing your trip to aid rescuers in the event you are overdue. Sample float plans can be found on the Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety website.
  • Check the weather. Be sure to look at the immediate weather forecast as well as the extended forecast; weather can change in the tri-state area in a matter of hours. Be prepared for it! The National Weather Service offers local and statewide current and extended marine weather forecasts on their website, which are broadcasted on VHF marine band radios.
  •  Boat sober. Never boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

National Recreational Boating Statistics:  

  • Fatalities: 610 
  • Drownings: 418 
  • Injuries (requiring medical treatment beyond first aid):  2,678  
  • Boating Accidents: 4,064
  • Property Damage: $39,175,826 
  • Number of registered recreational boats in the U.S.: 11,804,002

For a comprehensive list of boating safety checklists and instructional information, please visit: http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/default.aspx

For more information on life jacket safety as a part of National Safe Boating Week, take a look at the National Safe Boating Council’s website: http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/

To file an electronic float plan: www.floatplancentral.org

For a vessel safety check, visit the Coast Guard Auxiliary website at: http://cgaux.org/vsc/

For safety information specific to boating in the Port of NY and NJ visit: http://www.thesafeharbor.us

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