Coast Guard Auxiliary trains new boaters in safety
Boating is a way of life in Florida, but if you’re not prepared, it could go very wrong.
“People make the assumption that it’s a beautiful day, they’re going to go out and have a good time and come back, and unfortunately sometimes it doesn’t end up like that,” said Dan Eaton, Public Affairs Officer for U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 91.
Of Florida’s 766 boating accidents in 2017, 67 people lost their lives, most due to falls overboard and drowning.
Lee County ranks number 5 in the top ten counties for boating accidents in the state, with $472,539 worth of property damage reported last year, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife.
In 2016, Florida had the most registered recreational boats and the most accidents in the country.
Why so many accidents?
“We get a lot of people coming in from out of town, and boating in the lakes in Kentucky is a little bit different than boating in the Gulf of Mexico,” Eaton said.
Alcohol is also a huge problem.
“We always say, save the partying for the pier. People drink alcohol and they don’t realize the effects of the heat and the wind,” said Eaton. “It clouds your judgement.”
Another common mistake is a lack of proper lookouts.
“You can’t assume that the captain or whoever’s driving the boat sees everything that’s going on all around them,” he said.
People often take for granted that emergency services on land are easily accessible and respond quickly.
Eaton said on the water, it’s not like that.
Help could take substantially longer to arrive, and many boaters don’t know how to call for help on a VHF radio.
“There’s a story I relate, that happened up in Michigan, where an older couple were out and the man had a heart attack, and she was on the radio pressing the button saying ‘help me, help me.’ But no one told her she had to let up on the button in order to hear. Luckily, they were able to triangulate their location and help them, but you know, it’s little things like that, sometimes you take for granted,” he said.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s monthly “About Boating Safety” class seeks to remedy some of these problems by properly preparing boaters before they hit the water.
“It’s kind of targeted toward the newer boater. It’s especially valuable for people who aren’t familiar with the area,” said Eaton.
The course covers a wide range of information, like boating law, navigation, safety equipment, trailering, fishing, and other recreational activities.
Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a Coast Guard Auxiliary safe boating card, and their information will be submitted to Florida Fish and Wildlife to receive a State of Florida Boater Education Identification Card.
“Our whole goal through education is trying to take the search out of search and rescue. And there’s a lot of tools that help today’s boaters do that,” he said.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s specially-trained 35,000 members help the Coast Guard promote boating safety and participate in non-law enforcement programs like search and rescue, safety checks, and public education.
Their next “About Boating Safety” class will be on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pine Ridge Community Center, 15660 Pine Ridge Road in Fort Myers.
Registration for the “About Boating Safety” class costs $45, and can be done at www.Aux91FMB.org/safeboating or by calling 239-690-6780.