306
NOUS42 KMFL 181400
PNSMFL
FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-200500-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1000 AM EDT SAT MAY 18 2013
..NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK IS MAY 18-24
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL SAFE BOATING COUNCIL
WILL PARTNER FOR NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK MAY 18-24. THE WEEK
WILL HIGHLIGHT RELEVANT WEATHER AND SAFETY-SPECIFIC PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE RECREATIONAL BOATING PUBLIC. TOPICS WILL
INCLUDE:
(SAT 5/18) THE USE OF LIFE JACKETS. BEFORE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GET
OUT ON THE WATER THIS YEAR, GRAB A LIFE JACKET AND "WEAR IT"! NEARLY
85 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DROWN WHILE BOATING WERE NOT WEARING A LIFE
JACKET. WEARING A LIFE JACKET IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND
SIMPLE LIFE-SAVING STRATEGIES FOR SAFE RECREATIONAL BOATING. BOATERS
ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A U.S. COAST GUARD-APPROVED LIFE JACKET ON
BOARD FOR EVERY PASSENGER ON THEIR VESSEL.
(SUN 5/19) VESSEL SAFETY CHECKS. THIS BOATING SEASON, MAKE SURE
THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE VESSEL SAFETY CHECK (VSC), PROGRAM
A FREE, NO RISK SERVICE PROVIDED IN YOUR AREA BY THE US COAST GUARD
AUXILIARY AND THE US POWER SQUADRONS. A QUALIFIED VESSEL EXAMINER
WILL CONDUCT AN INSPECTION OF ALL THE REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT
CARRIED OR INSTALLED ON A VESSEL AND CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE VESSELS
OVERALL CONDITION. EVEN IF YOU PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO SAFETY,
DANGEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS CAN CROP UP ON THE BEST-MAINTAINED
BOAT. THAT'S WHY THE U.S. COAST GUARD RECOMMENDS THAT ALL
RECREATIONAL BOATS (INCLUDING PERSONAL WATERCRAFT) GET A FREE VSC
EACH YEAR.
(MON 5/20) THE USE OF EPIRBS (EMERGENCY POSITION INDICATING RADIO
BEACONS). EMERGENCY BEACONS, THROUGHTHE WORLDWIDE OFFERED SERVICE
OFCOSPAS-SARSAT, AID IN THE DETECTION, LOCATION AND SEARCH AND
RESCUE (SAR) OF BOATS, AIRCRAFT, AND PEOPLE IN DISTRESS.BEACONS
DESIGNED FOR SHIPS AND BOATS ARE CALLED EMERGENCY POSITION
INDICATING RADIO BEACONS (EPIRBS). WHEN ACTIVATED MANUALLY OR
AUTOMATICALLY UPON IMMERSION, EPIRBS SEND OUTDISTRESS SIGNALS,
WHICH ARE MONITORED WORLDWIDE BY SATELLITES. EXCEPT FOR THE EXPENSE
OF BUYING A BEACON, THIS SYSTEM IS FREE. FOR ADDITIONAL SAFE
BOATING, SOME PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS (PLBS) ARE DESIGNED FOR USE
IN WATER AND MAY BE ATTACHED TO LIFE VESTS. ALL 406 MHZ BEACONS
SHOULD BE REGISTERED WITH NOAA. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY
BEACONS CAN BE FOUND ATWWW.SARSAT.NOAA.GOV.
(TUE 5/21) UNDERSTANDING A MARINE FORECAST. UNDERSTANDING A MARINE
FORECAST IS CRITICAL TO SAFE BOATING. WEATHER AND WAVE CONDITIONS
CAN CHANGE SUDDENLY, CATCHING BOATERS OFF GUARD AND CREATING LIFE
THREATENING CONDITIONS. TAKE PARTICULAR NOTE OF ANY CURRENT
ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS, INCLUDING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES, GALE OR
STORM WARNINGS WHICH ALERT MARINERS TO EITHER HIGH WINDS OR WAVES
OCCURRING NOW OR FORECAST TO OCCUR UP TO 24 HOURS FROM NOW. BEFORE
SETTING OUT, OBTAIN THE LATEST MARINE FORECAST AND WARNING
INFORMATION FROM WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MARINE OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
SEVERAL DAYS AHEAD OF TIME YOU CAN BEGIN LISTENING FOR EXTENDED
OUTLOOKS WHICH GIVE GENERAL INFORMATION OUT TO THE NEXT FIVE DAYS IN
BOTH GRAPHICAL AND TEXT FORMAT.
(WED 5/22) HYPOTHERMIA. HYPOTHERMIA IS A CONDITION IN WHICH BODY
CORE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW THE REQUIRED TEMPERATURE FOR NORMAL
METABOLISM AND BODY FUNCTIONS, WHICH IS DEFINED AS 95F. IF EXPOSED
TO COLD THE INTERNAL MECHANISMS ARE UNABLE TO REPLENISH THE HEAT
THAT IS BEING LOST, AND A DROP IN CORE TEMPERATURE OCCURS. AS BODY
TEMPERATURE DECREASES, CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS OCCUR SUCH AS
SHIVERING AND MENTAL CONFUSION. HEAT IS LOST MORE QUICKLY IN WATER
THAN ON LAND. WATER TEMPERATURES THAT WOULD BE QUITE REASONABLE AS
OUTDOOR AIR TEMPERATURES CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA. WATER AT A
SEEMINGLY WARM TEMPERATURE OF 79F WILL, AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE,
LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA.
(THU 5/23) THUNDERSTORM SAFETY. THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE A MARINER'S
WORST NIGHTMARE. THEY CAN DEVELOP QUICKLY AND CREATE DANGEROUS WIND
AND WAVE CONDITIONS. THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING SHIFTING AND GUSTY
WINDS, LIGHTNING, WATERSPOUTS, AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH CAN
TURN A DAY'S PLEASURE INTO A NIGHTMARE OF DISTRESS. A LIGHTNING
STRIKE TO A VESSEL CAN BE CATASTROPHIC, ESPECIALLY IF IT RESULTS IN
A FIRE OR LOSS OF ELECTRONICS. IF YOUR BOAT HAS A CABIN, THEN STAY
INSIDE AND AVOID TOUCHING METAL OR ELECTRICAL DEVICES. IF YOUR BOAT
DOESN'T HAVE A CABIN, STAY AS LOW AS YOU CAN IN THE BOAT.
ULTIMATELY, BOATING SAFETY BEGINS ASHORE WITH PLANNING AND TRAINING.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THUNDERSTORMS ARE USUALLY BRIEF SO WAITING IT OUT
IS BETTER THAN RIDING IT OUT.
(FRI 5/24) BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AND
DRUGS ARE JUST AS HAZARDOUS ON THE WATER AS ON LAND. BOATING UNDER
THE INFLUENCE, OR BUI, AFFECTS JUDGMENT, VISION, BALANCE AND
COORDINATION. THESE IMPAIRMENTS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF BEING
INVOLVED IN A BOATING ACCIDENT - FOR BOTH PASSENGERS AND BOAT
OPERATORS. ALCOHOL IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL
RECREATIONAL BOATING FATALITIES. IT IS ILLEGAL IN EVERY STATE TO
OPERATE ANY BOAT OR WATERCRAFT WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL
OR DRUGS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HAZARDOUS WEATHER AND BOATING SAFETY, VISIT
THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/SAFEBOATING
HTTP://WWW.SAFEBOATINGCOUNCIL.ORG/
MOLLEDA
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