Boating safety should never be taken for granted.
Last year, 51 people in Florida died in boating accidents. The Sunshine State leads the nation with more than a million registered recreational watercraft vehicles. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, when it will feel like a million boats are on the water, the Coast Guard wants to get the message out that preparation prevents accidents.
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“Anything can happen, especially out on the water,” said Eric Rodriguez, a Coast Guard member.
On a visit to the Coast Guard’s Fort Lauderdale station Wednesday, we saw how the men and women gear up and rush out to emergency calls, when the stakes and the adrenaline run high.
“Definitely, that’s the biggest part of our job that we enjoy is going out and saving people’s lives,” said Coast Guard member Joseph Miller.
They respond to boaters in distress just about every single day.
“Our units are always ready to respond, but we want our mariners here in South Florida to make sure they take the proper precautions prior to getting out on the water to prevent these emergencies from happening,” Rodriguez said.
It’s all about prevention. That’s why the Coast Guard conducts routine interventions, asking random boaters if they have life jackets, noise makers, fire extinguishers, and two-way radios on board.
“People don’t realize that once you’re out there on the ocean, there is no cell service, so we want to make sure your radios are ready to go in case of emergency,” Rodriguez said.
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There are all kinds of things that can go wrong when you’re out on the water; recently, the Coast Guard has been investigating several boat explosions that have happened here in South Florida, and they are easy to prevent.
The key, the Coast Guard says, is to use proper ventilation when fueling an inboard engine boat, or else explosive fumes can build up and ignite.
“Yes, make sure you ventilate, and another big thing is if you smell fuel, that means there’s an indication that there is fuel somewhere,” Miller said.
So if you smell gas, don’t light a match. Also, don’t operate a boat if you’re impaired by alcohol or drugs. The Coast Guard says impaired boating causes 20% of boating accidents, so have a designated driver.
“Just as drinking and driving is dangerous, boating under the influence could be just as dangerous,” Rodriguez said.
There will be thousands of boaters and watercraft users taking advantage of Memorial Day weekend. The Coast Guard says be smart, use your common sense, and smooth sailing will follow.
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