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Boating Week to stress life jackets

The Coast Guard event's "Wear It!" campaign seeks to boost awareness of safety issues and fight excuses for not wearing the vests.

By JILL ANN PERRINO
Published May 21, 2006

The Coast Guard's $771,000, 47-foot motor lifeboat is pretty impressive. The multimission, heavy-weather vessel, one of two owned by the Sand Key Station, can handle 30-foot waves. It can be used for rescues, training and law enforcement. It is even equipped with gun mounts.

The vessel was expected to be a big attraction Saturday at the kickoff of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-9's Safe Boating Week.

The emphasis of the week is on public awareness. "There can be danger in boating," said Carl Cole, public affairs officer for the 11-9 Auxiliary.

The flotilla supports this year's Safe Boating Council theme. The "Wear it!" campaign is geared toward combating the many excuses people have for not wearing life jackets.

"We wear them," Cole responded, when asked about the flotilla's life vest compliance.

National Safe Boating Council statistics show that about 700 people drown each year in recreational boating accidents. In 2004, 90 percent of those victims were not wearing life jackets, despite them being lighter and less cumbersome than older models.

The Boat Safety Week schedule for the rest of the week includes vessel examinations and educational information at several locations:

- Today at Anclote River Park, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

- Wednesday at the Palm Harbor Wal-Mart, 35404 U.S. 19, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

- Saturday at Boat U.S., 41286 U.S. 19, Tarpon Springs, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

[Last modified May 21, 2006, 09:04:40]