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Posts Tagged ‘Boating Safety’
May 22, 2011 | 
Author 5th District Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Photo Release
Date: May 21, 2011
Contact: Public Affairs Det. Baltimore
(757) 667-1486
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BALTIMORE – The Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Maryland Natural Resources Police and the U.S. Power Squadrons sponsored a National Safe Boating Week kickoff event at the Annapolis City Dock in Annapolis, Md., Saturday.
Beginning at 8 a.m., boaters were able to receive a free vessel safety examination at various docks in Annapolis from auxiliarists who checked for compliance with all federal and state regulations and issued a highly visible sticker showing compliance.
Cmdr. Brian Roche, the deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Col. George F. Johnson, IV, the superintendent of the NRP, Bernard Karpers, Jr., the 5th District commander for the U.S. Power Squadrons and John Sill, the captain of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for Sector Baltimore, spoke during the ceremony urging boaters to remember to be safe while on the water.
“Boating safety is a collaborative effort between the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Maryland Natural Resources Police, the U.S. Power Squadrons and local agencies to educate boaters and to assist when they are in need,” said Roche. “We ask that all boaters reach out to the Coast Guard Auxiliary or the U.S. Power Squadrons to complete a free vessel safety examination prior to starting your boating season.”
The Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Portsmouth, Va., and a Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew hosted tours aboard the boats, having the opportunity to learn about the Coast Guard as well as how to stay safe this boating season.
Click on the above photos for specific caption information and the high-resolution photo on the Coast Guard Visual Information site.
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Havre De Grace, Md. (May 20, 2011) – The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) Special Operations Divison is investigating a fatal boating accident that occurred at 9:45 a.m. today at the Tidewater Marina located on the Susquehanna River in Havre De Grace.
A preliminary investigation found that a 44-foot sailboat was leaving the dock area of the marina when one of its passengers, an 81-year-old man, fell into the water. The man was not wearing a life jacket.
After being pulled back onto the boat and brought to shore, the man was transported to Harford Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death is yet to be determined, and the victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police remind all citizens and visitors that attention to boating safety saves lives, and is of paramount importance when enjoying Maryland’s waterways. While it is recommended that everyone on board wear a personal floatation device while a vessel is underway, a child under 13 years of age must wear a life jacket while underway in a vessel that is less than 21 feet in length.
In addition, children under 4 years of age and/or less than 50 pounds must have a life jacket equipped with a grab strap, inflatable headrest and crotch strap. NRP also recommends filing a float plan with a friend or relative. The plan should include the vessel’s destination, how long it will remain at the destination, and what time it’s expected to return. This information will assist rescue units if the vessel does not return. The Maryland Natural Resources Police emergency number is 800-628-9944.
Press Release Contact: Ofc. P. A. Thompsen
410-548-7070 office
410-279-1895 cell
[email protected]
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5th District Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Media Advisory
Date: May 19, 2011
Contact: Public Affairs Det. Baltimore
(410) 576-2541
WHO: Coast Guard Auxiliary, Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Maryland Natural Resources Police and U.S. Power Squadrons.
WHAT: Free to the public National Safe Boating Week kick off.
WHEN: Saturday, May 21, 2011, noon to 4 p.m.
WHERE: The Annapolis City Dock in Annapolis, Md.
BALTIMORE - The Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Coast Guard, Maryland Natural Resources Police and the U.S. Power Squadrons are scheduled to sponsor a National Safe Boating Week kickoff event at the Annapolis City Dock in Annapolis, Md., Saturday.
Beginning at 8 a.m., boaters can receive a free vessel safety examination from auxiliarists who check for compliance with all federal and state regulations. Vessel exams will be available at the following locations: Sarles Boatyard and Marina, Bert Jabin Yacht Yard, Eastport Yacht Center, Mears Marina, Butler Marina, Turner Marina, Horn Point Harbor Marina, Annapolis Landing Marina and Port Annapolis Marina.
Additionally, examiners will suggest ways to bring a boat into compliance, but do not report any violations found during the check. The examiners can provide safe boating advice and literature. Boats can be inspected on trailers and in the water. Boater’s can also schedule vessel examinations and boater safety classes for future times at their dock.
In addition to safety inspections, the event will also feature:
* Guest speakers Coast Guard Cmdr. Brian Roche, the deputy commander of Sector Baltimore, Col. George Johnson, IV, the superintendent of Maryland Natural Resources Police, Bernard Karpers, Jr., the 5th District commander for U.S. Power Squadrons and John Sill, the captain of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Sector Baltimore will speak about boating safety beginning at 3 p.m.
* The Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater, an 87-foot patrol boat, will be at the Annapolis City Dock and offer free tours from 1 p.m., until 3 p.m.
* A performance by the Coast Guard’s silent drill team at 1 p.m.
* A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium search and rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Annapolis
* A flare demonstration and inflatable life jacket demonstration beginning at 2 p.m.
* The Coast Guard Auxiliary will have a life jacket display and safe boating classes will be available or can be scheduled.
Most activities will end at 4 p.m. This event is free to the public.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteers who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.
Posted in Boating Safety | 
Tags: Boating Safety, coast guard cutter, horn point, Life Jacket, Maryland, Maryland Natural Resources Police, mears marina, national safe boating week, safety patrols, station annapolis, turner marina, U.S. Power Squadron, United States Coast Guard, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Vessel Safety Check | 
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Learn more about inflatables at the Safe Boating Season Kickoff at City Dock in Annapolis on May 21 from Noon to 4 PM. For a comprehensive review, you can also go to: http://www.annapoliscgaux.org/Miscellaneous/Inflatable_Maintence.pdf
Read the article at the 5th Southern Public Affairs website:
(Don’t forget to visit the big boating safety event in Annapolis this Saturday.)
Posted in Boating Safety | Tags: Boating Safety, coast guard auxiliary, inflatable life jackets | No Comments »
5th District Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
News Release
Date: May 19, 2011
Contact: Public Affairs Det. Atlantic City
(609) 677-2204
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Coast Guard in the Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey shore areas is scheduled to participate in National Safe Boating Week May 21 to 27.
National Safe Boating Week marks the informal beginning of summer and Coast Guard crews throughout the Delaware Bay region will be on patrol paying particular attention to recreational boating safety.
“Remember to wear your life jackets, monitor your marine radio and file and update as needed a float plan with a trusted family member or friend,” said Capt. Todd Gatlin, the deputy commander at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia. “In summary, think safety. We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable boating season.”
Nationwide, more than 700 people die every year in boating and paddling accidents. Approximately two-thirds drown and more than 90 percent of these were not wearing a life jacket.
The most recent data for the Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey waters shows 200 boating accidents occurred in 2009 resulting in a total of 18 fatalities.
Most boating fatalities occur on boats where the operator had not completed a boating safety education course. Courses cover many aspects of boating safety from boat handling to reading the weather.
The Coast Guard urges boaters to obtain a free, no-fault vessel safety check, which can be conducted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, before heading out on the water. The safety checks are courtesy examinations of your vessel, verifying the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations.
The Coast Guard also urges boaters to boat sober. Boating under the influence or boating while intoxicated is just as deadly as drinking and driving. It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state. Penalties for violating BUI and BWI laws can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges and jail terms.
Other dangers include bow riding, which occurs when passengers unsafely remain on the bow of a recreational vessel while it is making way. This is inherently unsafe when the bow is not outfitted with the appropriate safety equipment for seating passengers, such as a non-skid deck surface, railings or seats. Even while wearing a life jacket, a person who falls off the bow can be at risk of a propeller strike.
Here are some other tips to help boaters have a safe and pleasant summer on the water:
- Make sure a friend or relative knows your float plan. A float plan states where you are going and how many people are aboard your vessel. It also gives a vessel description, details your destination and what time you expect to arrive there. If you are delayed for some reason, make sure you let someone know.
- Make certain to check the local weather prior to departing the dock. Weather can change very rapidly, and you should keep a watchful eye on the forecasted conditions.
- Have nautical charts of the area you are boating in, a global positioning device and a reliable means of communication on board your vessel. VHF-radio is the best method of communication while on the water. Although cell phones are a good backup, they can be unreliable due to gaps in coverage area and the inevitable dead battery.
- Wear your life jacket. In an emergency there might not be enough time to put one on, so wearing one at all times may save your life.
Media wanting more information are requested to contact Public Affairs Detachment Atlantic City, N.J., at 609-677-2204.
For further boating safety information, check online at one of the following:
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary: http://www.cgaux.org/
Vessel Safety Checks: http://www.vesselsafetycheck.org/
Coast Guard Boating Safety page: http://www.uscgboating.org/
National Safe Boating Council: http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/
U.S. Power Squadrons: http://www.usps.org/
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Posted in Boating Safety | Tags: boat handling, boating accidents, boating fatalities, Boating Safety, boating safety education, boating season, cell phone, coast guard auxiliary, coast guard news, delaware bay, delaware bay region, Education, life jackets, national safe boating week, recreational boat, recreational boating safety, safety equipment, U.S. Power Squadron, United States Coast Guard, Vessel Safety Check, Weather | No Comments »
Take our not-so-scientific poll and answer the question, “The behaviors Maryland boaters need to change most.” Select all that apply.
You will find the poll question in the left-hand column of the Drum Point Flotilla website http://www.drumpoint.org.
What boating behaviors most perturb the average boaters. Let’s find out.
Let me first say that this post is my personal opinion and not necessarily the opinion of the United States Coast Guard or the members of the Drum Point Flotilla. As a volunteer in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, what I observed this morning was difficult to over look, even harder to understand, and I had to share it with you. This article is my Easter reflection that I offer for consideration to my shipmates and the public that enjoys reading our blog.
My Lord gave his life so that everyone who believed in Him would have everlasting life. So I believe. His sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice. One sacrifice that paid or all human sin. This was the message from the Pastor of a local church who held the annual sunrise service on the beach near my home in Calvert County. The beach is directly adjacent to Breezy Point Harbor.
Just a mile or so off Breezy Point, on this Friday last, four recreational fishermen went down with their boat. One fisherman swam to shore, another was rescued by a Good Samaritan, and two died in the water. Their boat rests at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Natural Resources Police hasn’t release all of the details of this horrible event but we do know from news stories that the men were not wearing life jackets at the time of the sinking.
As our Easter morning sunrise service went on, those attending were asked to remember other sacrifices. We remembered first our Savior and then the sacrifices of the men and women of our country who died so that we could continue to enjoy the freedom to worship. A great sadness overcame me however, as I watched private and charter fishermen, in boat after boat, leave Breezy Point Harbor without wearing life jackets. At least one craft appeared severely over loaded as it’s aft free board was less than six inches. Crews were standing and carelessly on deck jostling about, no lookouts were posted. In more than a few cases, boats were leaving and going to plane just a bit too fast for comfort. The rush to the happy fishing holes was on.
While we honor the lifetime contributions and respect those who died last Friday, there was no sacrifice. The emptiness and horror the men endured during their last two hours came to bear. The sadness I felt was made greater as each fishing vessel left the Harbor in view of our church service. I wanted to tell them, to warn them, to ask them top be prepared because none of the crews appeared prepared. It was as though no one had heard that two men had recently died.
What is it that prevents a recreational fisherman from wearing safety equipment that could save him, from carrying a radio to call the Coast Guard in the event of an accident, from taking the steps to protect himself from tragedy? Is it bravado, is it that the water is a man’s place to do as he pleases and to take risks so that he can tell tall fishing stories? Is it that life jackets are too uncomfortable and two-way VHF marine radios are too expensive? None of these reasons make sense yet the behaviors we would like to see end continue.
The news organizations gave us the facts on Friday, but missed the real story behind the tragedy. The real story was lost in the event itself. The camera crews and news anchors should have been at the mouth of Breezy Point Harbor on Easter morning, filming boats leaving the harbor and noting the apparent lack of concern for personal safety. There wasn’t one visible life jacket in twenty or more boats. What makes people take unsafe risks? Do they think they are immortal? Is it machismo-lost if one takes his safety seriously? Getting B-roll of the Easter sunrise service adjacent to the mouth of the harbor might have given the boating safety story an uplifting end.
The members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, including the members of Calvert County’s Drum Point Flotilla, want everyone who uses our waterways to be safe. We want to see you taking your safety seriously and wearing your life jackets. The 2011 boating season has begun with two unfortunate deaths. Let’s honor those fishermen by taking boating safety seriously this year and in every boating season to come. When you leave your harbor, wear your life jacket, have all your safety gear, and know that you are safe and prepared. Do it to honor those who died.
Doug Smith, FSO-CS
Drum Point Flotilla
Posted in Vessel Safety Check | Tags: Boating Safety, coast guard auxiliary, compliance, Enforcement, flare, flares, Maryland Natural Resources Police, natural resources police, power squadron, SafetySeal.net, southern maryland, Southern Maryland Education Center, U.S. Power Squadron, Vessel Examiners, Vessel Safety Check, VSC | No Comments »
Get Ready for This Summer’s Boating Season!!
BOATING SAFETY CLASS
Presented by The Drum Point Flotilla 23-06 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. America’s Volunteer Lifesavers.
Classes will be held at the Calvert Community Resources Building, 30 Duke Street, Prince Frederick (Across from the Post Office)
· The class consists of nine, two hour sessions on Mondays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM,
Classes begin 28 February 2011 and end 25 April 2011.
A final Test will be given during the 25 April session.
Cost: $30.00 PER STUDENT
Pre-Registration is requested, but we will take walk-ins if space permits.
For Further details and pre-registration call:
R. T. West 410-535-2035, Bill Noyes 410-535-0450
For those born after 1 July 1972: this course satisfies the requirements of the State of Maryland for operating a vessel on Maryland waters and a Maryland Natural Resources Police Safety Card will be issued on satisfactory completion.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadrons also inspect kayaks and other paddle craft.
Boat Safe. Boat Smart. Get the Decal!
Three Maryland boating deaths in 2012. Three sailboat emergencies, 1 death; 1 swimmer death; 1 allision death with two trauma injuries; 1 major injury from gasoline engine fire,
Lifejackets are comfortable and they save lives!
“You wouldn’t allow your kids to sit on the hood of your car, so why would you allow them to sit on the bow of your boat?”
Rear Admiral Dean Lee, 5th District commander, United States Coast Guard
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