Barrie police send water safety message ahead of long weekend

City police urge boaters to have appropriate equipment and operate their boats soberly.

PRESS RELEASE
BARRIE POLICE DEPARTMENT
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There are only four long weekends during the summer, so each is popular with Canadians.

The Victoria Day long weekend is considered by most to be the unofficial start of summer. It’s the weekend to open up the cottage, put the boat in the water and bring out the water toys.

Historically, this weekend has also generated more than its fair share of boating-related incidents and fatalities.

We remind those who use our Canadian waterways to navigate safely and responsibly throughout the summer.

On long weekends, converging wakes generated by increased traffic from sport boats to large cruisers can easily capsize small fishing boats, canoes and kayaks.

Although air temperatures over the Victoria Day long weekend can often be quite mild, boaters should remember that water temperatures have only increased a few degrees since the removal of the ice cream. Cold shock can be fatal if someone falls overboard or their boat capsizes and sinks.

A good idea to guard against this possibility is to wear or pack thermal protective clothing to slow the onset of hypothermia until help arrives. Of course, this is in addition to wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), which will also provide some thermal protection.

It is essential to have the means to call for help, if necessary, either by marine radio or by mobile phone (depending on the service).

Make sure you have enough PFDs on board for everyone. Check them for proper fit as well as broken zippers or buckles, split seams or excessive wear. If any of these appear, the PFD should be replaced.

Sober boating is a particularly important message for boaters to heed. Alcohol, recreational drugs or prescription narcotics should never be consumed beforehand or while sailing. Alcohol is responsible for approximately 40 percent of all boating-related incidents and deaths.

It’s not difficult to start your summer safely and comfortably by behaving responsibly on the water and making sure you have the proper safety equipment on board.

To learn more, visit www.csbc.ca for great tips on how to have a safe season on the water.

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