<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2bz8oS_0vEEsQnS00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2bz8oS_0vEEsQnS00" width="650" height="434" ><figcaption>This August 2022 photo shows the United States Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer John Boyer, left, and Chief Petty Officer Chad Hagen, Station Port Huron, standing on a 29-foot response boat in Muscamoot Bay on Lake St. Clair, Michigan, during the Muscamoot Bay Raft Off. Boyer and Hagen were members of the small boat crew patrolling the waters of Muscamoot Bay during the event. (Photo provided/Omar Faba/U.S. Coast Guard) </figcaption></figure> The United States Coast Guard encourages mariners to practice safe boating and responsible maritime practices heading into the 2024 Labor Day weekend. Since 1894, the national holiday has stood to recognize the ongoing achievements of the American Worker. Many view the holiday as the end of the summertime. “The summer is a busy time for us, starting on Memorial Day weekend, recreational boaters take to the Great Lakes, and the surrounding inland waters to enjoy all that they have to offer,” Michael Baron, the District 9 Recreational Boating Safety Specialist, said in a Thursday statement. “As we approach Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of the summer, as family vacations subside and children begin preparation to return to school, don’t forget to be safe out there.” As the nation’s recreational boating safety coordinator, the Coast Guard Thursday offered tips boaters can use to remain safe out in our nation’s waterways: <ul><li> The best life jacket is the one you will wear. </li><li> To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a recreational vessel must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person aboard. </li><li> Do not drink and boat. It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state. Penalties include large fines, suspension of boat operator privileges, and imprisonment. </li><li> Check the weather prior to departing and continue to monitor for storms, strong currents, and winds. </li><li> File a float plan. Inform someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Float plans help ensure timely reporting of missing persons and provide valuable information to responders such as a general location of where to start searching. </li></ul> “One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself is to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while on the water,” Baron said. “National statistics show that where the cause of death was known in a recreational boating incident 75% of victims drowned,” he continued. “Furthermore, of those tragic deaths where it was known if the victim was wearing a life jacket, 87% of the drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. Boat smart, boat safe so that you and your loved ones can enjoy future summers on the Great Lakes.” The Coast Guard has a safe boating mobile app available to download online at <a href="https://uscgboating.org/mobile/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> uscgboating.org/mobile </a> . Features of the app include state boating information; a safety equipment checklist; free boating safety check requests; navigation rules; float plans; and calling features to report pollution or suspicious activity. When location services are enabled, users can receive the latest weather reports from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather buoys and report the location of a hazard on the water. The app also features an Emergency Assistance button which, with location services enabled, will call the closest Coast Guard command center. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Coast Guard urges public to prioritize boating safety over Labor Day weekend

As the nation’s recreational boating safety coordinator, the Coast Guard encourages mariners to practice safe boating and responsible maritime practices heading into Labor Day weekend.