DETROIT — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is teaming up with the National Safe Boating Council and other boating safety advocates across the U.S. to promote safe and responsible boating during National Safe Boating Week, May 17-23, 2014.
National Safe Boating Week is the official launch of the 2014 Safe Boating Campaign. This yearlong campaign promotes safe and responsible boating and the value of wearing a life jacket by recreational boaters.
Before casting off for a day on the water, boaters should take appropriate precautions. File a float plan with a friend or family, get a vessel safety check and take a boating safety course. Boaters should also check the weather forecast and make sure everyone onboard is wearing the correct type and fit of life jacket. Boaters can develop “boater’s hypnosis,” a condition in response to sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion, which causes fatigue and slows your reaction time. Combining this condition with alcohol or drugs greatly reduces your coordination, judgment and reaction time, which could lead to deadly consequences - so please boat sober.
“Throughout the year hundreds of people drown or die in boating accidents and the majority of the deaths could have been prevented,” said Pam Doty, National Water Safety Program Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “We want you to come out and enjoy your national lakes and rivers and return home safely, so please wear a life jacket and boat friendly.”
Area events scheduled for the Kickoff of National Safe Boating Week
May 17 - May 23, 2014
· Friday, May 16 – “Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day” is a national event to get the word out about how easy it is to wear a life jacket – even at work!
http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/calendar.htm.
The employees at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Canal Park, Duluth, Minn., will participate and wear their life jackets to work that day. Whether you’re working in an office, at a school, in a hospital, at an airport, in a news room or on a boat, help promote the importance of life jacket wear by wearing yours at work. Everyone is encouraged to share photos on the Ready, Set, Wear It! Facebook page at Facebook.com/ReadySetWearIt, tweet it to @ReadySetWearIt using #RSWI2014 or email photos to ymoslehian@safeboatingcouncil.org.
· Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. – 5th Annual "Ready, Set, Wear It! - Life Jacket World Record Day” photo.
The public is invited to bring their life jackets to the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Canal Park, Duluth, Minn., and join boaters from around the world at a 1:00 p.m. gathering and photo opportunity to raise safety awareness and set a new world record for “Life Jacket World Record Day.”
Help break last year’s national record of 5,774 participants from 189 worldwide events. Photos will be sent to www.ReadySetWearIt.com for posting to the internet. “Life Jacket World Record Day” is part of a day of activities on water safety at the Corps of Engineers, Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center at the foot of Canal Park Drive from 10:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. There will be exhibits, demonstrations, and short classes around the visitor center about topics such as fitting your life jacket, swimming safety and boating safety. Participants can sign-up for boat inspections in June, watch films about hypothermia and cold water immersion and experience hypothermia and cold water immersion effects.
POC for the events in Duluth:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center
600 Lake Ave. South, Duluth Minnesota 55802
Mary George mary.t.george@usace.army.mil
218-720-5260 x35274
· Saturday, May 17 -- U.S. Coast Guard, USCG, St. Joseph Station Open House: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Michigan Area Office in Grand Haven, Mich., will participate (for the second year) in the USCG open house during National Boat Safety Week” by providing a variety of water safety material, books, DVD, posters, toss rings, etc. to help promote water safety, May 17, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the USCG St. Joseph Station, St. Joseph, Mich. http://www.uscg.mil/d9/sectLakeMichigan/STAStJoseph.asp
NOTE: Be sure to follow the campaign on Twitter at twitter.com/boatingcampaign and like it at facebook.com/SafeBoatCampaign. Share boating stories at SafeBoatingCampaign.com.
FYI -- Media graphics, aids and resources are available for the media at: http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/2014press/2014-Media-Resources.pdf
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the nation’s largest provider of water-based outdoor recreation, managing more than 420 lake and river projects in 43 states and hosting more than 370 million visits per year. With 90 percent of these recreation areas within 50 miles of metropolitan areas, the Corps of Engineers provide a diverse range of outdoor activities close to home and to people of all ages. For more information on Corps of Engineers recreation sites and activities, visit www.CorpsLakes.us.
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