18 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2017
By Jeff Kurrus
With boating season in full swing, consider
the following safety tips to keep you and your
family safe on the water.
1) Make a pre-departure checklist to be
prepared for any water emergency. These
include a fire extinguisher, first aid kit,
flashlight and rope.
2) Check the weather before going and use
common sense before getting on the water.
3) Wear your life jacket at all times. In fatal
boating accidents, 78 percent of the victims
drown, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Of these, 84 percent are not wearing a life
jacket. Comfortable Coast Guard-approved
life jackets are widely available.
4) Boating under the influence of alcohol is just as deadly
as drinking and driving. Due to sun exposure and heat,
people are likely to become impaired more quickly when on
the water. So play it safe and avoid alcohol when boating.
The blood alcohol content is .08, the same as for motor
vehicles.
5) Install a carbon monoxide alarm on your boat. Carbon
monoxide is an odorless, colorless and poisonous gas that
is emitted by all internal combustion engines, such as boat
engines. The symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to
seasickness, but CO can kill in a matter of minutes.
6) Understand your audible signals and your navigation
rules. You can find both, and more rules and regulations, at
OutdoorNebraska.org/guides. ■
Thanks to Lindsey Lucenta and Herb Angell for their
reporting on this article.
Boating Safety
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
