boating safety

On an average day, the Coast Guard takes the following actions to ensure the safety of both commercial (fishing boats, merchant ships, etc.) and recreational boaters:

These missions make the seas much safer for the many vessels that transit our waters. Coast Guard ships maintain all navigational aids (buoys) in the many channels along our nation's coastlines. The Coast Guard issues licenses to all captain’s of commercial vessels. Many vessel inspections and boardings are conducted to make sure that a vessel is sea-worthy. Proper prevention measures keep vessels from becoming the next Search & Rescue case.

I have conducted hundreds of RBS boardings, checking to make sure that recreational boaters have their life jackets onboard, that their fire extinguishers are in working order, that their navigational lights work... all these measures so that if problems do arise on the vessel, the people onboard have the chance to survive the ordeal. The sea is unforgiving, and a prudent mariner is always prepared with the proper equipment when getting underway.

I've been in the Bearing Sea, conducting boardings on the crab fishing fleet. The conditions there are extremely dangerous. If one falls into the water without a survival suit on, the chances of surviving as little as 10 minutes in the water are slim to none. One of my jobs during these boardings has been to make sure that these vessels are in compliance with their safety equipment and gear, so that if the unfortunate happens, and they need assistance from the Coast Guard, they have the equipment onboard to help them survive until assistance arrives.