MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard, partner agencies to hold Memorial Day Weekend press briefing in Tampa

Media Advisory

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay (305) 965-4672 PA Detachment Tampa Bay online newsroom

 

Coast Guard, partner agencies to hold Memorial Day Weekend press briefing in Tampa

 

Editor’s Note - Media are asked to be at the Gandy Boat Ramp no later than 10:45 a.m. for more information and to RSVP, please contact Ashley J. Johnson at 305-965-4672.

WHO: Crewmembers from Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Station St. Petersburg and Coast Guard Auxiliary, and maritime law enforcement partners including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

WHAT: Press briefing about safe boating for National Safe Boating Week and safety equipment demonstration. 

WHEN: Friday, May 18, 2018 at 11 a.m. 

WHERE: Gandy Boat Ramp 5108 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611. 

TAMPA, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard along with partner agencies are scheduled to hold a press briefing to kick-off National Safe Boating Week in Tampa, Friday. 

In the coming weeks, increased traffic on the water is expected. Coast Guard stations throughout Florida's west coast, state and local law enforcement, and first responders will be on patrol to ensure safety and security on the water, but the Coast Guard reminds boaters that safety starts at the dock before you board your boat. 

Before heading out, make sure every passenger, including the captain, is wearing a life jacket. Over 80 percent of all drownings can be attributed to not wearing a life jacket; nobody knows when an accident will occur, so wearing a life jacket helps alleviate the panic of finding one in case of emergency.

As the nation’s recreational boating safety coordinator, the Coast Guard works to minimize loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and environmental harm. The Coast Guard encourages all boaters to:

• Download the Coast Guard Mobile App. The mobile app provides the essential services and information most commonly requested by boaters.
• Register your EPIRB/PLB and DSC Marine Radio. Properly registered equipment will help speed up post-accident recovery.
• File a float plan. Let someone know where you’re going. Coast Guard, state and local law enforcement and first responders have the ability to start a search quicker if we know where to begin.
• Get a vessel safety check. Making sure you have the proper equipment on your boat increases your ability to arrive back at the dock safely.
• Take a boating safety education course. Educating yourself on recreational boating safety can help reduce the risk of accidents.

Never board a boat with an intoxicated captain. Only a third of the alcohol needed to make a person impaired on the road can make a person equally impaired on the water, so use extreme caution when drinking this weekend. 

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-USCG-