• Water Safety & Survival

  • Safe Boating Tips

    safety tips

    No matter how much experience you have, it’s always a good idea for everyone to review boating safety rules before departures. Below you will find 10 basic boating safety tips to help you stay safe:

    1. Be Weather-Wise

      Always check local weather conditions before departure; TV and radio forecasts can be a good source of information. If you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water.

    2. Follow a Pre-Departure Checklist

      Proper boating safety includes being prepared for any possibility on the water. Following a pre-departure checklist is the best way to make sure no boating safety rules or precautions have been overlooked or forgotten.

    3. Use Common Sense

      One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use your common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times (especially in crowded areas), staying alert at all times and steering clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn. Also, be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there to ensure your own safety.

    4. Designate an Assistant Skipper

      Make sure more than one person on board is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling, operations, and general boating safety. If the primary navigator is injured or incapacitated in any way, it’s important to make sure someone else can follow the proper boating safety rules to get everyone else back to shore.

    5. Develop a Float Plan

      Whether you choose to inform a family member or staff at your local marina, always be sure to let someone else know your float plan. This should include where you’re going and how long you’re going to be gone.

      A float plan can include the following information:

      • name, address, and phone number of trip leader
      • name and phone number of all passengers
      • boat type and registration information
      • trip itinerary
      • types of communication and signal equipment onboard, such as an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

    6. Make Proper Use of Lifejackets

      Did you know that the majority of drowning victims are the result of boaters not wearing their lifejackets? Make sure that your family and friends aren’t part of this statistic by assigning and fitting each member of your onboard team with a life jacket prior to departure. Wear it!

    7. Avoid Alcohol

      Practice boating safety at all times by saving the alcohol for later. The probability of being involved in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved and studies have shown that the effects of alcohol are exacerbated by sun and wind.

    8. Learn to Swim

      If you’re going to be in and around the water, proper boating safety includes knowing how to swim. Local organizations, such as the American Red Cross and others, offer training for all ages and abilities. Check to see what classes are offered in your area.

    9. Take a Boating Course

      Beginning boaters and experienced experts alike need to be familiar with the boating safety rules of operation. Boater education requirements vary by state; however, some require validated completion of at least one boating safety course. Regardless of your individual state's requirements, it's always important to be educated and prepared for every circumstance that might arise. You can learn boating safety rules by taking a local community course oronline course to help educate yourself.

    10. Consider a Free Vessel Safety Check

      Take advantage of a free vessel safety check from the US Coast Guard. They offer complimentary boat examinations to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations. Free of charge, they’ll provide a specialist to check out your boat and make helpful boating safety tips and recommendations. They also offer virtual online safety checks as well.

    Source: DiscoverBoating.com

  • Use these tips whenever you're around water
     
    Make Water Safety Your Priority
    • Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
    • Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system!
    • Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and Learn-to-Swim courses.
    • Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
    • Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
    • Establish rules for your family and enforce them without fail. For example, set limits based on each person’s ability, do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings, and do not allow swimmers to hyperventilate before swimming under water or have breath-holding contests.
    • Even if you do not plan on swimming, be cautious around natural bodies of water including ocean shoreline, rivers and lakes. Cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards can make a fall into these bodies of water dangerous.
    • If you go boating, wear a life jacket! Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.
    • Avoid alcohol use. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills; and reduces the body’s ability to stay warm.
    Prevent Unsupervised Access to the Water
    • Install and use barriers around your home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional layers of protection.
    • Ensure that pool barriers enclose the entire pool area, are at least 4-feet high with gates that are self-closing, self-latching and open outward, and away from the pool. The latch should be high enough to be out of a small child’s reach.
    • If you have an above-ground or inflatable pool, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.
    • Remove any structures that provide access to the pool, such as outdoor furniture, climbable trees, decorative walls and playground equipment.
    • Keep toys that are not in use away from the pool and out of sight. Toys can attract young children to the pool.
    Maintain Constant Supervision
    • Actively supervise kids whenever around the water—even if lifeguards are present. Do not just drop your kids off at the public pool or leave them at the beach—designate a responsible adult to supervise.
    • Always stay within arm’s reach of young children and avoid distractions when supervising children around water.
    Know What to Do in an Emergency. If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
    • Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
    • If you own a home pool or hot tub, have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
    • Enroll in water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

    Source: American Red Cross