POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office will be participating inNational Safe Boating Weekfrom May 22 through May 28. During this period, marine patrol deputies will be educating boaters and encouraging the safe and lawful operation of vessels.
“National Safe Boating Week is a great opportunity for boaters to take the time to ensure they have all the proper safety equipment on their boat in the event an emergency occurs,” said Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson.
U.S. Coast Guardstatistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2019, and that 86 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets.
The Dutchess County Deputy Sheriffs PBA has purchased t-shirts that they hand out to kids they encounter who are wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), said Lieutenant Shawn Castano.
He has been patrolling the Hudson River for 22 boating seasons and encouraged everyone to wear a PFD, especially boaters who decide to go for a swim. “Most people don’t realize how strong the current is and how quickly they can be swept away from their boat,” he said.
On Saturday, Castano and Deputy Steven Sansoni were patrolling the Hudson on the sheriff’s boat “Enforcer 1” that deploys from a marina in Hyde Park. It is one of three vessels the sheriff’s office uses. They are docked in various marinas along the Dutchess shoreline.
During their latest patrol, Castano and Sansoni spotted a boat with family, including an eight-year-old girl who was wearing a PFD. They approached the boat and spent a few minutes talking to the skipper and conducted a brief inspection.
Castano asked to see the safety flares, a PFD for every passenger, and other safety equipment. The family on board were Vermont residents who came to the Hudson for striper fishing. After the inspection, Castano presented the child with a PBA t-shirt that says, “This Kid Got Caught Wearing A PFD,” bid them a safe voyage, and returned to patrol.
During the week, Deputies from the Dutchess Sheriff’s Marine patrol will be visiting marinas and boat clubs along the Hudson River to educate boaters about life jackets, also called personal floatation devices. A PFD is required for every person on board a motorboat, sailboat, rowboat, canoe, or kayak. Anyone on a personal watercraft must wear a PFD and a PFD must be worn by anyone who is being towed by a pleasure boat or personal watercraft. A PFD must also be worn by everyone under 12 years of age.
The Marine Patrol Unit actively patrols the Hudson River providing education and enforcement of the New York State Navigation Law and other laws related to maritime safety and security. Marine patrol deputies perform search and rescue missions and work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and local marine patrols and fire departments to assist boaters in distress.
If a boater experiences an emergency while on the Hudson River, all occupants should immediately put on PFDs. The boater can hail for assistance on VHF Channel 16, call 911 from their cellphone, and deploy a visual distress signal to get the attention of other boaters or people on land.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com