Coast Guard encourages boating safety

Boating traffic on the Atchafalaya River between the two bridges will be prohibited and the closure enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard during the fireworks display Saturday.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. David McClelland, the captain of the Port of Morgan City, issued a safety notice for the closure Thursday stating it will be between 9 p.m. and 9:25 p.m. in order to protect the public and vessels from injury or damage during the fireworks display.
All vessels are prohibited from entering the safety zone which extends from 500 feet south of the railroad bridge to 500 feet north of the old Long-Allen bridge. The zone extends from bank to bank.
Intrusion into the safety zone could lead to arrest and is punishable by a fine of up to $50,000 and imprisonment of up to five years or both.
The Coast Guard also reminds the public to exercise safe boating at all times, but especially during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The week of July Fourth typically experiences a high number of boaters taking to the water. The Coast Guard advises the public to take responsibility for their safety on the lakes, inland rivers and along the Gulf Coast. Boaters should be aware of, and obey, all federal and state regulations for recreational boating and navigation.
Local statistics are not available, but Coast Guard total statistics for calendar year 2013 show:
—4,062 accidents that involved 560 deaths, 2,620 injuries and approximately $39 million in damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.
—Seventy-seven percent of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 84 percent were not reported as wearing a life jacket.
—Twenty-two children under age 13 lost their lives while boating in 2013. Eight of those 22 children died from drowning.
—Approximately 16 percent of all loss-of-life cases were the result of boating under the influence.
Lt. Jon Scott of the Morgan City Marine Safety Unit said boaters should always be mindful of the dangers associated with drinking while boating and the Coast Guard patrols the waterways to enforce laws which prohibit operating a boat under the influence.
“We will be enforcing the laws during the holiday weekend just like we always do,” Scott said.
Scott also said simple safety precautions can help keep from turning an occasion of relaxation into a disaster.
He encourages boaters to always wear a life jacket. Since there is little time to reach for stowed vests when accidents occur, wearing one at all times reduces your risk of drowning. Federal law requires a personal floatation device be on board for each passenger. State law requires a life vest to be worn while a boat is moving with the aid of a motor.
Another simple, inexpensive safety measure would be keeping some sort of flare on your vessel in case of distress or being stranded, Scott said.
Even boaters who have many years of experience on the water are subject to unexpected events that can leave them in need of assistance. Scott advises boaters to have a float plan that they share with someone before they get on the water.
A float plan is simply letting family and friends know where you are going and your expected time of return, he said. If you change plans, let someone know. A float plan assists responders in the search of an overdue boater who may be in distress.
If a boater has a VHF-FM marine-band radio on board, they reach the Coast Guard on marine-band channel 16, the distress channel. The Coast Guard, other rescue agencies and other boaters monitor marine-band radios 24/7, which increases the number of people who can respond. Though cell phones are better than no communication device at all, they tend to have gaps in coverage while on the water and have limited battery life.