BOSTON — The United States Coast Guard has just released its first boating safety mobile phone app as part of the kickoff of National Safe Boating Week 2015, which runs today through through Friday.
Features of the app include: a safety equipment checklist, general navigation rules, local boating laws and information, as well as the ability to request free Vessel Safety Checks and create float plans that can quickly be sent to family or friends before getting underway.
When location services are enabled mariners can also receive the latest weather reports directly from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather buoys, and easily report pollution, hazards on the water, or suspicious activity in real time.
Another app feature is an Emergency Assistance button which will call the closest Coast Guard command center when locations services are enabled. The boating safety mobile app is not designed to replace a boater's marine VHF radio and the Coast Guard still strongly recommends all boaters have a marine VHF radio aboard their vessels.
"We are very excited for its release," said Lt. Karen Kutkiewicz, Public Affairs Officer for the First Coast Guard District. "The new Coast Guard app makes boating safety information more accessible and in one place!"
Because the app is self-contained, personal information is stored on the phone and not sent to the Coast Guard unless the user chooses. The Coast Guard does not track a user's location, and the app cannot track a user's location unless the app is being used and location services are enabled.
The app is titled "United States Coast Guard" by BastaYaPR, a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico, and is now available on the Apple and Google Play online app stores.
National Safe Boating Week is an annual event the week before Memorial Day Weekend to help encourage all boaters to practice safe boating.
For more information on National Safe Boating Week click HERE
For more information on general boating safety click HERE
For more information on the United States Coast Guard app click HERE