Coast Guard reminds boaters to celebrate July fourth responsibly MIAMI — With thousands of boaters on the water celebrating the nation’s birthday, the Coast Guard stresses to the boating pubic that South Florida’s waterways will be be even more dangerous and harder to navigate than normal. The Coast Guard encourages boaters to enjoy their weekend on the water but to do so safely. Coast Guard crews, including many from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, will be patrolling the area, conducting safety checks both on the water and at marinas. Crews will be on a close lookout for boaters who are intoxicated or operating their vessel in and unsafe manner. The limited resources of the Coast Guard will require the boating public to be more aware of their surroundings, including watching and adhering closely to weather reports and conditions, understanding the dangers and penalties of boating under the influence of alcohol and misusing emergency flares as fireworks. Boaters are asked to remember one very important message this Independence Day weekend… “You’re in Command. Boat Safely!” Every year, approximately 700 recreational boaters die on American waterways. More than 4,000 more are injured. There are key things boaters can do while and before setting out that can drastically reduce the risk of accidents and can help them should one occur. Boaters are reminded to make the following precautions to ensure they have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend: Make sure you and your passengers wear a lifejacket at all times while on a boat. Know the basic rules of boating. Take a boating safety course such as America’s Boating Course – offered both online and in the classroom. Never boat under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs. Get a free Vessel Safety Check at least once every year. Wear a Lifejacket The most important thing boaters should remember this weekend is always wear a lifejacket. Wearing a lifejacket is the easiest way to reduce the risk of a boating fatality. The month with the greatest number of boating fatalities remains July 2002. That month, 135, or 18 percent, of the 750 boaters who did not survive boating accidents were not wearing a lifejacket. Take a Boating Safety Course Safe boating courses are another key ingredient in the safe boating recipe. Programs are in place, such as America’s Boating Course, an online boating safety class sponsored by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons. The course can be found at
Get a Free Vessel Safety Check
Vessel Safety Checks, or VSCs provide a bow-to-stern inspection of a boat’s condition and safety equipment. Experienced Coast Guard Auxiliarists along with the U.S. Power Squadrons perform the checks. Vessel Safety Checks help identify key safety issues and violations before they become problems on the water. Boaters should seek a free VSC at least once every year. Operator inattention, careless or reckless operation, operator inexperience and excessive speed are the leading contributor of all reported boating accidents.
Don’t Boat Under the Influence
Boaters are reminded the dangerous of boating under the influence. In July 2002, alcohol contributed to almost 40 percent of all boating fatalities. Intoxicated boaters can face both federal and state charges with penalties of up to one year in prison and fines up to $100,000.
Use Flares for Emergencies Only
Boaters are also reminded to use flares only in emergency situations. Using a flare as a firework could result in a delayed response to legitimate emergency situations on the water. Firing a flare when not in distress could result in a Class D felony charge, six years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines and reimbursement of all costs the Coast Guard incurs as a result of the false distress.
Float Plans and EPIRBs
Other important steps boaters should take are to file a float plan and to have and monitor their VHF-FM radio and electronic indicating radio beacon. Filing a float plan is as simple as telling friends, family or marina owners/operators where you are going and what time you expect to be back. This assists the Coast Guard in locating boaters should they be reported missing. Another piece of lifesaving equipment is an EPIRB. Electronic Indicating Radio Beacons are monitored by a national response center. Once an EPIRB is activated, the Coast Guard is given the devices global positioning system location, which drastically reduces search areas and results in faster response time to the scene of an emergency.
Operation On Guard
Boaters should also be on the lookout for any suspicious activity on the water. Operation On Guard is an ongoing effort in which the Coast guard asks boaters to help be their eyes and ears on the water. Boaters who see suspicious activity, such as but not limited to:
Suspicious persons conducting unusual activities
Unknown persons photographing/making sketches
Unknown/suspicious persons loitering for extended periods
Suspicious persons renting watercraft
Unknown vendors attempting to sell/deliver merchandise
Unusual inquiries about facilities, schedules or operations
taking place near bridges, ports, power plants, cruise or container ships or any other place of high interest should immediately call their nearest Coast Guard unit or the Coast Guard’s National Response Center at 1-877-24WATCH (1-877-249-2824).
Additional information on safe and secure boating practices can be found at the Seventh Coast Guard District’s public affairs page at www.d7publicaffairs.com, the Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety page at www.uscgboating.org or by calling 1-800-368-5647.
Coast Guard reminds boaters to celebrate July fourth responsibly
MIAMI — With thousands of boaters on the water celebrating the nation’s birthday, the Coast Guard stresses to the boating pubic that South Florida’s waterways will be be even more dangerous and harder to navigate than normal.
The Coast Guard encourages boaters to enjoy their weekend on the water but to do so safely. Coast Guard crews, including many from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, will be patrolling the area, conducting safety checks both on the water and at marinas. Crews will be on a close lookout for boaters who are intoxicated or operating their vessel in and unsafe manner.
The limited resources of the Coast Guard will require the boating public to be more aware of their surroundings, including watching and adhering closely to weather reports and conditions, understanding the dangers and penalties of boating under the influence of alcohol and misusing emergency flares as fireworks. Boaters are asked to remember one very important message this Independence Day weekend… “You’re in Command. Boat Safely!”
Every year, approximately 700 recreational boaters die on American waterways. More than 4,000 more are injured. There are key things boaters can do while and before setting out that can drastically reduce the risk of accidents and can help them should one occur.
Boaters are reminded to make the following precautions to ensure they have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend:
Make sure you and your passengers wear a lifejacket at all times while on a boat.
Know the basic rules of boating. Take a boating safety course such as America’s Boating Course – offered both online and in the classroom.
Never boat under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs.
Get a free Vessel Safety Check at least once every year.
Wear a Lifejacket
The most important thing boaters should remember this weekend is always wear a lifejacket. Wearing a lifejacket is the easiest way to reduce the risk of a boating fatality. The month with the greatest number of boating fatalities remains July 2002. That month, 135, or 18 percent, of the 750 boaters who did not survive boating accidents were not wearing a lifejacket.
Take a Boating Safety Course
Safe boating courses are another key ingredient in the safe boating recipe. Programs are in place, such as America’s Boating Course, an online boating safety class sponsored by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons. The course can be found at
www.americasboatingcourse.com.Get a Free Vessel Safety Check
Vessel Safety Checks, or VSCs provide a bow-to-stern inspection of a boat’s condition and safety equipment. Experienced Coast Guard Auxiliarists along with the U.S. Power Squadrons perform the checks. Vessel Safety Checks help identify key safety issues and violations before they become problems on the water. Boaters should seek a free VSC at least once every year. Operator inattention, careless or reckless operation, operator inexperience and excessive speed are the leading contributor of all reported boating accidents.
Don’t Boat Under the Influence
Boaters are reminded the dangerous of boating under the influence. In July 2002, alcohol contributed to almost 40 percent of all boating fatalities. Intoxicated boaters can face both federal and state charges with penalties of up to one year in prison and fines up to $100,000.
Use Flares for Emergencies Only
Boaters are also reminded to use flares only in emergency situations. Using a flare as a firework could result in a delayed response to legitimate emergency situations on the water. Firing a flare when not in distress could result in a Class D felony charge, six years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines and reimbursement of all costs the Coast Guard incurs as a result of the false distress.
Float Plans and EPIRBs
Other important steps boaters should take are to file a float plan and to have and monitor their VHF-FM radio and electronic indicating radio beacon. Filing a float plan is as simple as telling friends, family or marina owners/operators where you are going and what time you expect to be back. This assists the Coast Guard in locating boaters should they be reported missing. Another piece of lifesaving equipment is an EPIRB. Electronic Indicating Radio Beacons are monitored by a national response center. Once an EPIRB is activated, the Coast Guard is given the devices global positioning system location, which drastically reduces search areas and results in faster response time to the scene of an emergency.
Operation On Guard
Boaters should also be on the lookout for any suspicious activity on the water. Operation On Guard is an ongoing effort in which the Coast guard asks boaters to help be their eyes and ears on the water. Boaters who see suspicious activity, such as but not limited to:
Suspicious persons conducting unusual activities
Unknown persons photographing/making sketches
Unknown/suspicious persons loitering for extended periods
Suspicious persons renting watercraft
Unknown vendors attempting to sell/deliver merchandise
Unusual inquiries about facilities, schedules or operations
taking place near bridges, ports, power plants, cruise or container ships or any other place of high interest should immediately call their nearest Coast Guard unit or the Coast Guard’s National Response Center at 1-877-24WATCH (1-877-249-2824).
Additional information on safe and secure boating practices can be found at the Seventh Coast Guard District’s public affairs page at
www.d7publicaffairs.com, the Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety page at www.uscgboating.org or by calling 1-800-368-5647.