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Coast Guard urges boaters to be safe Labor Day weekend Editor's note: Coast Guard crews from Station Georgetown, S.C., will be available to conduct interviews about proper boating safety practices Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Members of the media interested in attending should RSVP with Michael Hulme at 305-318-1864 Friday by 8 a.m. GEORGETOWN, S.C. - This Labor Day weekend the Coast Guard is encouraging boaters to be safe on the water by boating responsibly. More than 600 people died in America as a result of recreational boating accidents in 2007. Many more were injured and millions of dollars worth of property was lost in accidents that probably could've been prevented with proper training and equipment. Boaters are reminded of five key life saving things as they head out for Labor Day: Always wear a lifejacket - Approximately 90 percent of people who drowned in boating accidents in 2007 were not wearing a lifejacket. Don't drink and boat - Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. Take a boating safety course - Approximately 70 percent of all fatal accidents occurred on a vessel with an operator that had no formal boating safety instruction. Get a vessel safety check - Even if you pay careful attention to safety, dangerous mechanical problems can crop up on the best-maintained boat. That's why the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boaters take advantage of the free vessel safety check program. Vessel safety checks are conducted by local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas or the United States Power Squadron. File a float plan - A float plan is simply letting a reliable loved one or friend know where you are going, when you are going to be back and what kind of vessel you have. That person can call the Coast Guard if you don't return on time and save critical time during searches. Boaters should remember that they are in command and that they may save more than their life by practicing safe boating. They may save the life of someone they love. To find out about vessel safety checks or boating safety courses in your area, please log on to http://nws.cgaux.org/index.html. ### Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790. The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future. |
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