Coast Guard: Boating safety a must for this holiday weekend

DATE: July 02, 2009 09:24:04 PST

Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment San Diego

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News Release

Date: July 2, 2009 Contact: Petty Officer 2nd Class Jetta Disco(619) 247-2478 jetta.h.disco@uscg.mil

Coast Guard: Boating safety a must for this holiday weekend
For additional information on safe and secure boating practices click here for the Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety page.

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard urges boaters to make safety a priority this holiday weekend, as thousands of boaters plan on celebrating Fourth of July festivities on or near the water.

Being safe on the water is paramount.

Significant actions mariners can take to be safe on the water to celebrate responsibly to have the proper safety equipment on board, and be aware of the dangers of boating under the influence.

Members of the boating public must remember to always wear a life jacket, file a float plan with a friend or family member and have a working VHF-FM radio and electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on board. Doing these simple tasks could save your life or the life of your passengers.

Along with decreasing the operator's ability to make good judgments, boating under the influence negatively affects the ability of the operator to respond in the case of an emergency. The effects of the sun, wind, waves and a boat's motion on the water, can all add to an operator's impairment. Boaters found to be under the influence can face both federal and state charges with penalties of up to one year in prison and up to $100,000 in fines.

“We anticipate a very busy holiday weekend on the water and would like to share a few key safety tips to the boating community,” said Chief Petty Officer Bryan Mastrangelo, of Station San Diego. “The Coast Guard recommends that everyone operating on the water wear a properly sized Coast Guard approved life jacket, to include children and pets as well. Before leaving the dock be sure to check the weather forecast and run through an equipment checklist which should include life jackets, a horn/whistle, fire extinguishers, flares, enough fuel, food, water and the proper paperwork for the vessel.”

Also, each year on the Fourth of July, the Coast Guard receives and responds to numerous calls of boaters firing emergency flares from their vessels. While the possession of flares on your vessel is encouraged, the Coast Guard stresses flares should only be fired to indicate distress. With the increase of maritime traffic on the Fourth of July, the firing of a flare in a non-emergency situation could result in a delayed response to a legitimate maritime emergency. Firing a flare when not experiencing an emergency could also result in a Class D felony charge, six years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines and reimbursement of all costs that the Coast Guard incurs as a result of the false distress.

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