Ready Set Go: National Safe Boating Week is May 20-26, 2023

By: Diane Riggan, USCG Auxiliary D7 National Safe Boating Week Chair

What is the first thing you think about when you hear National Safe Boating Week (NSBW) is only weeks away? Most of us think, “we need a committee” or “we need to plan an event for that week.” Where both of those are commendable and necessary, NSBW is bigger than that.

NSBW is a subset of the recreational boating safety mission. We are reminded that National Safe Boating Week is a media event and is a year-long marketing effort for all recreational boating organizations. The National Safe Boating Council supports this event and all recreational boating safety activities all year long.

Their webpage, safeboatingcampaign.com, is a valuable resource. In addition to statistics and accident rates, they provide brand marketing guidelines. We must conform to certain parameters when we use their Wear It logo. Should you need help designing graphics for your NSBW campaign or for promoting safe boating anytime, check out their graphics department to assist you. If you are designing a flyer or need a public service announcement, they have that available for FREE. If you need wording for a proclamation, refer to their webpage (safeboatingcampaign.com) for a sample proclamation. Do not forget that the USCG Auxiliary also has a Graphics division that can assist you. You can find them by going to the cgaux.org webpage and looking for Creative Services. You may need a form to submit requests; if so, route the completed form for graphics, cartoons, etc., to Hank Cushard, District Staff Officer-Public Affairs (DSO-PA), for District 7. If it is an idea with a broader reach, for example, an Auxiliary wide promotion, you will need a Branch Chief or above to review the request.

Another web resource for timely information is uscgboating.org. The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety provides this page. Anything on this page is for public consumption. You can incorporate statistics and articles regarding new laws and regulations along with safety tips for all vessel operators right from the source.

Now that you have a plan and direction, now what?

Well, in District 7, a National Safe Boating Week Chair is appointed by the District Commodore. That Auxiliarist works thru the division commanders requesting information from all flotillas each year. The division commanders ask for summaries or bullet points from their flotillas for that information to be forwarded to the district chair before 25 April each year.

Your National Safe Boating Week Chair in District 7 for 2023-2024 is Diane Riggan. If you have questions about how to plan your boating safety campaign or your NSBW events, please get in touch with her at driggan070@gmail.com

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For 365 days a year, all around the Seventh U.S. Coast Guard District, we teach boating safety, we do vessel examinations, and we share our boating safety message with our community. This year promote NSBW earlier by:

•Incorporating the #WearIt! message on social media, flyers, posters, or handouts you pass along

•Finding a community event to be part of that shares our message of boating safety

•Contacting your local ocean rescue or lifeguards and asking if they can put on a demonstration to show the value of lifejackets

•Hosting an open house, teaching special safety courses and seminars, going to watersports parks for lifejacket demos, having fun with rain gutter races – be creative.

Please remember to write your planning report for your division commander and submit it by early April. They need to forward your NSBW division information to Mrs. Riggan no later than April 25th.

Happy planning! Ω

Refer to Auxiliary (Manual COMDTINST M16790. 1G) Chapter 2 Missions and Programs

Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day

We encourage all boaters to participate in Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day on May 19, 2023, the day before National Safe Boating Week. No matter where boaters are working, they can join in the fun by wearing their life jacket and posting creative pictures on social media for a chance to win a prize. This is a great way to encourage others to boat responsibly.

How to Participate

Boaters share a picture of themselves wearing a life jacket at work (or home) on social media along with the hashtag #wearyourlifejacketatworkday and tag @boatingcampaign (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram).

Don’ t use social media? Email photos to out-

Breeze

Above- There are only two exemptions when it comes to having a kill switch on board a recreational vessel: If your main helm is in an enclosed cabin, the law doesn’t require a kill switch. The other exemption is for those recreational boats over 26 feet that are not required to have one. Images: National Safe Boating Council reach@safeboatingcouncil.org.

Chance to Win a Prize

Winners will be chosen randomly throughout the day to receive boating swag from the Safe Boating Campaign, such as t-shirts, dry bags, first aid kits, stickers, and more. Ω