Community Awareness - Water Safety

Wear Your Life Jacket While Boating
During 2002, capsizing or falls overboard led to 417 deaths--56% of all recreational boating deaths that year. Approximately 90% of these victims drowned. Life jacket use by all boat occupants can reduce drowning. All states and territories (except Hawaii, Idaho, and Guam) have a mandate regarding the wearing of life jackets, though they vary and many only pertain to children under age 12. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are now more attractive in appearance and comfortable to wear. When properly fitted, a life jacket or PFD can prevent a tragedy.

Avoid Alcoholic Beverages While Boating
Alcohol use affects judgment, vision, balance, and coordination. U.S. Coast Guard data show that in fatalities involving alcohol use, over half of the victims capsized their boat and/or fell overboard. Additionally, more than one-third of all fatalities resulting from a collision involved alcohol use.

Complete a Boating Education Course
Approximately 70% of reported incidents involve operator controllable factors. The primary causes of incidents are operator inattention, carelessness or recklessness, inexperience, unsafe speeds, and failure of the operator or passenger-“lookout” to identify hazards.

Boating education courses teach the regulatory and statutory rules (“Rules of the Road”) for the safe operation and navigation of recreational boats. During 2002, 80% of all boating fatalities occurred on boats where the boat operator had not attended a boating safety education course.

Participate in the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) Program
The Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free public service provided by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron volunteer organizations promoting boating safety. These volunteer personnel check safety equipment and provide information about equipment purpose, safety procedures and applicable regulations. For more information on the VSC Program, visit their web site: http://safetyseal.net/index. asp

Be Aware of the Risk of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
All internal combustion engines emit CO, an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. In the early stages, the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to seasickness and CO can kill in a matter of minutes. Significant CO poisoning potential can include the use of air conditioning powered by an onboard motor generator; operation of any gasoline powered engine while docked and/or rafted with other boats operating engines; or being underway with improper cabin ventilation. To avoid CO poisoning, be aware of the risk, ensure sufficient ventilation, properly install and maintain equipment, and utilize CO detectors, especially in living and sleeping areas.