Boating safely during the Fourth of July weekend is more important than posing for a social media post with a beer in your hand, local first responders said.
As recreational boaters backed vessels, ranging from fishing boats to one-person rowboats, into the Chesapeake Bay at the Sandy Point State Park marina Wednesday, Maryland鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources Police, the U.S. Coast Guard and Anne Arundel County Fire Department offered safety reminders.
鈥滱lcohol impairment can lead to a delay in judgment, reaction time, balance and vision鈥� for the person at the helm, said Adrian Baker, the chief of the DNR police. 鈥淚ntoxicated passengers can easily fall overboard, swim near the propeller, or try to stand up, and if you鈥檙e in a small vessel that can cause it to capsize.鈥�
U.S. Coast Guard Chief Matt Kinsman said the agency responded to 140 calls for aid last summer, resulting in about 50 saved lives. Kinsman said all the people who were saved were wearing Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices.
Kinsman said life jackets come in sizes ranging from infants to adults of all heights and girths.
鈥滿ake sure they鈥檙e really accessible on your boat,鈥� Kinsman added. 鈥淎lso, never forget to have a Type 4 throwable flotation device, in case you have a person go in the water.鈥�
In the event of an emergency, Kinsman advised making sure that distress calls, either on VHF marine radio Channel 16 radio or cellphone, include key information: 鈥淭ry to get the location out as clearly as possible, also the number of people involved. With only those two pieces of information, we can have an effective response.鈥�
Baker said of those who might flaunt safety best practices to snap a photo for a social media post: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e distracted, you鈥檙e not paying attention,鈥� Baker said.
鈥滻t sends a bad message to hold a beer,鈥� said Baker. 鈥淎lthough it鈥檚 not illegal to consume alcohol, it certainly is illegal to be intoxicated.鈥�
