For Immediate Release May 20, 2006 Contacts: “SAFE BOATING DAY” AT LAKE MEAD BEGINS 2006 NAT’L SAFE BOATING WEEK; FUN-FILLED EVENT FOCUSES ON SAFETY AND PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS Hundreds Gather at Event Organized
by NPS, CA, AZ, NV, LAS VEGAS—The Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership kicked-off National Safe Boating Week today in Boulder City, Nevada with its first-ever public event, “Safe Boating Day.” In 2005, the National Park Service (NPS) reported 149 boating accidents and four boating fatalities at the national recreation area. Because most types of accidents are preventable, the partnership hosted an event that featured information and demonstrations that will help boaters to avoid future mishaps on the water. During Safe Boating Day, the Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership enticed visitors to come out for an afternoon of boating safety activities by raffling off a brand new 2006 Sea-Doo GTI personal watercraft, a family houseboat vacation by Forever Resorts, Colorado River rafting trips, and kayak tours on Lake Mead. The winners of these raffles will be announced on www.boatlakemead.com and via a press release on Tuesday, May 23. Admission to Lake Mead was free for all Safe Boating Day participants but in order to be eligible for the prizes attendees had to show proof of successful completion of any U.S. Coast Guard or National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved boating safety course and take the May 20th “at–the-water mini course.” This is an important component of Safe Boating Day, since boating safety classes are only encouraged but not required in California and Arizona. Other activities included life jacket instruction (providing free lifejackets for the first 250 attendees), at-the-water boating safety and training for personal watercraft (PWC), vessel safety checks provided by the U.S. Power Squadrons, safety demonstrations for all boats including houseboats, kayaks and canoes, and boat launching demos at the Hemenway Harbor boat launch. “Hundreds of thousands of visitors will come to Lakes Mead and Mohave over the holiday weekend and 8-10 million more throughout the year,” said Lake Mead National Recreation Area Superintendent Bill Dickinson. “We have park rangers on the water along with Nevada and Arizona law enforcement officers with safety as their top priority, but accidents unfortunately do happen. It’s very unfortunate because the vast majority of these accidents are completely avoidable. I hope that through efforts like Safe Boating Day, we will get the message across that reducing accidents is primarily up to boaters themselves – they need to take this information and pay close attention to it,” said Dickinson. National Safe Boating Week takes place May 20-26, always on the eve of Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial opening of boating season and one of the busiest boating weekends at Lake Mead Recreation Area all year. Close to 225,000 visitors are expected at Lake Mead this Memorial Day Weekend. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, more than 77 million Americans take to the water every year. According to U.S. Coast Guard data from 2004, there are nearly 13 million registered recreational boats in the U.S. and about 60,000 registered in Nevada, close to 150,000 registered in Arizona, and approximately 900,000 in California. “Accidents happen in the blink of an eye, which is why we should always wear our lifejacket. It will not save our life if it is stored somewhere on the boat,” said Maureen Healey, Executive Director of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association. U.S. Coast Guard data from 2004 found that 90 percent of all drowning victims weren’t wearing a life jacket – an all time high. Fortunately however, Healey said, life jacket use among personal watercraft (PWC) operators is very high. “Most PWC operators consider their life jacket part of the standard gear. For pleasure boaters, there are other, less cumbersome life jackets that are also Coast Guard-approved, like the new inflatable belt packs,” she said. About half of all visitors at Lake Mead National
Recreation Area come from out-of-state, particularly California.
The Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership advises boaters to “play
it safe” by following the strictest of guidelines, which include:
These are guidelines the partnership advises all boaters to follow. In some cases, they might be required by law. For instance, anyone born after January 1, 1983 must carry proof of having passed a boating safety course to operate a boat in the state of Nevada (Lake Mead). In other cases, any boater 12 years or younger must wear a lifejacket at all times and anyone riding a personal watercraft (PWC) regardless of age must wear a lifejacket at all times. “Boaters born on or after January 1, 1983 are required to complete a boating education course to operate a motorboat of more than 15 horsepower on Nevada's sections of Lakes Mead and Mohave,” said Edwin Lyngar of the Nevada Department of Wildlife. “This class not only meets the requirements of Nevada's law, it will also make you a better, safer boater. All boaters should take one of these classes, even if it's not required.” The majority of boating accidents and contributors to these accidents are all operator-controlled. Collisions with another vessel and collisions with fixed objects are the top types of boating accidents, and reckless operation and operator inexperience are the leading contributors to these accidents. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show more adults 40-49 years old were involved in a boating fatality than any other age group. Alcohol was involved in one-third of all boating fatalities in 2004 and about 70% of all fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not taken a boating safety course. “It’s simple; an educated boater is a safer, more responsible boater,” said Kevin Bergersen, Boating Law Administrator with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Boaters should put safety first all year long, not just during National Safe Boating Week.” “We’re making progress in California and through the partnership at Lake Mead, we hope visitors from our state will be involved in fewer accidents in the future,” said Raynor Tsuneoshi, Director of the California Department of Boating and Waterways. “Boating is one of America’s most enjoyable pastimes,” Tsuneoshi continued, “and if safety becomes every boater’s top priority, we can prevent a very good day on the water from becoming a tragedy.” Launched in January 2006, the partnership was created by the National Park Service, the California Department of Boating and Waterways, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) to promote safe boating practices all year long among boaters who visit Lake Mead in Nevada and Lake Mohave in Arizona. # # # For More Information, Please Visit www.boatlakemead.com
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