The Columbia County Board of Commissioners is recognizing National Safe Boating Week in Columbia County and encouraging citizens to be safe all year.
During the meeting on May 16, commissioners read and approved a proclamation declaring May 20-26 as National Safe Boating Week. The proclamation states, in part, safe boating begins with preparation, and on average 650 people die each year in boating related accidents in the United States. From these accidents, approximately 75% of the fatalities are caused by drowning.
“The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error or poor judgment and not by the boat, equipment, or environmental factors; and whereas, a significant number of boaters who lose their lives by drowning each year would be alive today had they worn life jackets,” the proclamation said.
Larry Wiggins, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, accepted the proclamation and then spoke about the importance of boating safely. He said the National Safe Boating Council was formed as a nonprofit whose goal is to get more people wearing life jackets. They work with the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Natural Resources and sailing and boater clubs across the country.
“The commissioner (Alison Couch who read the proclamation) mentioned that on average, 75% of boating accident deaths are by drowning,” Wiggins said. “Unfortunately, last year that was 83%, had a bad year last year. What makes that even worse is that four out of five of those drowning victims were not wearing life jackets. The vast majority of them probably would’ve survived had they been wearing a proper life jacket.”
Wiggns stressed the importance of wearing a life jacket at all times when a person is out on the water, no matter if they are boating, kayaking or paddle boarding.
“There’s been a big increase in death from people trying out those new sports thinking there’s no danger because there’s no motor or anything, and it’s really easy to fall off a paddleboard and the wind pushes it away, and if you don’t have a life jacket, you’re on your own.”
For more information on the National Safe Boating Council, visit https://www.safeboatingcouncil.org. For information on safe boating, visit https://safeboatingcampaign.com.
Stephanie Hill is a staff writer covering Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
