Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Conducting Free Boat Safety Inspections This Weekend to Kick-Off National Safe Boating Week
In the coming weeks, increased traffic on the water is expected. Coast Guard stations throughout Florida’s west coast, state and local law enforcement, and first responders will be on patrol to ensure safety and security on the water, but the Coast Guard reminds boaters that safety starts at the dock before you board your boat.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit will be conducting free boat safety inspections this weekend at two Pinellas County boat ramps. Marine deputies will be conducting the safety equipment check on Saturday May 19, 2018 and Sunday, May 20, 2018, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.
- On Saturday, May 19, 2018, deputies will be on-site at Pinellas War Veterans Memorial Park Boat Ramp located at 9600 Bay Pines Boulevard, St. Petersburg.
- On Sunday, May 20th, 2018, deputies will be on-site at Pinellas County Fort Desoto Park Boat Ramp located at 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde.
Before heading out, make sure every passenger, including the captain, is wearing a life jacket. Over 80 percent of all drownings can be attributed to not wearing a life jacket; nobody knows when an accident will occur, so wearing a life jacket helps alleviate the panic of finding one in case of emergency.
Deputies will mainly be checking for:
- Correct number of life jackets – there needs to be a Personal Flotation Device for each passenger on board and it must be size appropriate
- Throw cushions
- Flares
- Fire extinguisher
*Exact items checked for are dependent on vessel size and to where they are travelling*
Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website for a list of other mandatory items based on what type of boat you have.
Boats that are in full compliance will receive a sticker from a Marine Unit deputy, showing that the vessel was in full compliance for future reference. If it is determined that the vessel is not in compliance, deputies will educate the boat operator of the missing equipment.
The Coast Guard encourages all boaters to:
- Download the Coast Guard Mobile App. The mobile app provides the essential services and information most commonly requested by boaters.
- Register your EPIRB/PLB and DSC Marine Radio. Properly registered equipment will help speed up post-accident recovery.
- File a float plan. Let someone know where you’re going. Coast Guard, state and local law enforcement and first responders have the ability to start a search quicker if we know where to begin.
- Get a vessel safety check. Making sure you have the proper equipment on your boat increases your ability to arrive back at the dock safely.
- Take a boating safety education course. Educating yourself on recreational boating safety can help reduce the risk of accidents.
- Never board a boat with an intoxicated captain. Only a third of the alcohol needed to make a person impaired on the road can make a person equally impaired on the water, so use extreme caution when drinking this weekend.
In 2017, most of the 67 people killed in Florida waterways last year drowned without wearing life vests according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The FWC released boating statistics from 2017 which showed that most accidents happened because the operator wasn’t paying attention. “For 2017, the leading contributor to boating accidents was the operator’s inattention or failure to maintain a proper lookout. It is critical for operators to be diligent in observing and being aware of what is going on around them,” said Lt. Seth Wagner from the FWC’s Boating and Waterways Section. 261 boating accidents involved collisions and 38 percent of all collisions were due to inattention or the operator failing to maintain a proper lookout.
There were 766 boating accidents in Florida last year — 52 more than in 2016, according to the FWC.