A belated safety bulletin from the US Coast Guard

[Guest _rick]

Coast Guard Issues Boating, Paddling Safety Advisory

The Village Soup

Belfast, MA.

Editor Beth Staples

BOSTON (June 30): The Fourth of July holiday is the busiest boating period of the year and holds the distinction of being the deadliest, both nationwide and in the Northeastern United States.

"The Fourth of July holiday period has become the single most deadliest boating and paddling holiday of the year," said Al Johnson, recreational boating safety specialist for the First Coast Guard District headquarters based in Boston. "Over the previous eight July 4th holidays, 36 fatalities occurred on waters throughout the Northeast, that's almost ten percent of the total eight-year fatality number."

Of these 36 deaths, 20 occurred in motorboats, six on personal watercraft, six in canoes, two in sailboats and one each from aboard a pedal boat and a rowboat. The leading contributors in accidents that led to fatalities involved falling overboard, vessels capsizing and single or multi-vessel collisions. Falling overboard accounted for 13 lives, 12 people died after their vessels capsized and collisions claimed 11 lives. Alcohol was involved in 12 accidents that claimed 15 lives.

Furthermore, Northeast statistics indicate that an average of 50 victims have died annually in recreational boating and paddling accidents over the past 8 years; of these, 82 percent were not wearing a lifejacket.

"While 82 is an alarming number," said Johnson, "it's a positive, but sad indicator that more people are wearing their life jackets. Unfortunately, when a third of Fourth of July holiday fatalities occur in collisions, a life jacket doesn't compensate for loss of situational awareness."

The holiday period also brings an increase in alcohol usage. While alcohol is involved in just over a quarter of annual fatal accidents in the Northeast, it jumps to more than 42 percent during the Fourth of July.

Johnson advises all boaters and paddlers venturing out on the water this Fourth of July to be prudent mariners, to save the alcohol for when the trip is completed and to maintain a constant safety vigil. "As captain of your vessel, you're in command, and awareness is the key ingredient. You can relax and enjoy your time on the water, but be aware of what's going on around you as well as the proximity of other vessels."

"Additionally," continues Johnson, "boaters must be aware of what can go wrong and be prepared for sudden crisis. Make sure you're prepared for emergencies. The safety of your passengers and yourself is at stake and should be your paramount concern."

The best insurance for surviving most sudden on-water emergencies is simply wearing a life jacket. There are a wide variety of comfortable, Coast Guard-approved life jackets available for whatever water sport you practice. But, Johnson stresses, it's not just important to have a life jacket for each passenger aboard your watercraft; the key is to wear it.

"Your chance for survival usually comes down to one thing; having your life jacket on when you need it," Johnson said. "The misperception persists that you can put on a life jacket once you're in the water. It is extremely difficult to do, and unfortunately for most people immobilized by the shock of sudden cold water immersion, it can be tragically impossible."

Johnson recommends that all boaters and paddlers should:

. Always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket;

. Be aware of present weather and water conditions and forecasts;

. Never boat or paddle alone; let others now where you're going;

. Take a Coast Guard approved boater education course;

. Practice prudent seamanship - boaters should not exceed their own ability, and;

. Know that alcohol and drugs contribute to accidents.

According to Johnson, awareness is a key ingredient to a safe boating or paddling experience. "You can relax and enjoy your time on the water, but be aware of your proximity to others on the water and situations developing around you, and be prepared for any emergency," he said.

"It's the responsibility of all us who use our waterways to boat and to paddle sober, sanely and safely," said Johnson. "Your life, and the lives of your family and friends depend on it. Enjoy the holiday. Boat smart! Paddle smart!"

Based in Belfast,MA. Editor Beth Staples can be reached at 207-338-0484 or by e-mail at bstaples@villagesoup.com.

[Brian Nystrom]

...the brilliant politicians in Massachusetts target kayakers - the one group with no fatalities - as being in need of more regulation. Don't you just love it?! Someone need to send this report to the two idiotic legislators involved.

[Guest _rick]

Well actually here are the stats

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_stats.htm

CY2005

there were 72 reportable injuries to kayakers

78 deaths

total of 150 nation wide

42 of those hypothermia symptoms only 2 died because of it

10 were drowned not wearing a lifejacket

14 drowned while wearing a lifejacket

most accidents are men 20-49 on a saturday afternoon in july. But the usual is for the men to fall over board with a beer in hand. I havent figured out how to paddle and drink my beer.

rick

[ccarlson]

"I havent figured out how to paddle and drink my beer"

http://www.thebeerbelly.com/

[Guest _rick]

Oh thats precious...

I am an advocate for education more than legislation. The point of my post is water and breathing are can sometimes be mutually exclusive. The people who most often need the education are long term power boaters and the incidental boaters such as hunters or the casual boater.

[Gillian]

Carl, I'm sure Kevin will thank you as this is what he's getting for Christmas. That is fabulous.

[Kevin B (RPS Coach)]

Geez, Carl, you should know better than post something like this when G is around....I guess I'll be regifting sooner than I thought

[ccarlson]

Sorry, guess I have to remember that she is always lurking out there... ;-))

[bob budd]

>CY2005

>

>there were 72 reportable injuries to kayakers

>78 deaths

That number is kayaks and canoes combined. Canoes 49 of the 78, another 5 are non-drowning deaths thus 24 kayak deaths attributed to drowning.

Interestingly sail boats are near the bottom of the list.

Given the number of motor boat deaths it appears if we are patient the purveyors of this noisy, smelly practice will do themselves in.

[Brian Nystrom]

There were 9 boating deaths of all types in MA in 2005, 1 in NH and 16 in ME. Unfortunately, it's not broken down by boat type. We'll probably have to wait for the ACA's report to get more specific numbers.