Promoting the Use of Life Jackets New PFD Label in the Works

Promoting the Use ofLife Jackets

New PFD Label in the Works

MAR/APR 2002 VOL. 17 - NO. 2

N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F S T A T E B O A T I N G L A W A D M I N I S T R A T O R S

Produced under a grant from the AquaticResources (Wallop-Breaux) Trust Fundadministered by the U.S. Coast Guard

Welcome aboard. As boating safety professionals,when we think about the time and energy we’ve spentsupporting legislation for mandatory wearing of lifejackets and reminding boaters that life jackets arerequired in all vessels, it’s scary to realize how manyboaters put themselves in harm’s way by going on thewater with no life jackets. In examining the fatalboating accident statistics across the nation, we findthat in many cases there were no life jackets in theboat. We have a long way to go.

Last year, Rhode Island’s Department ofEnvironmental Management collaborated withBoatU.S. on an interactive project. While on patrol,our officers approached vessels and “bet” theoccupants that they couldn’t get their life jackets on in30 seconds. If the boaters were able to beat the clock,they received a BoatU.S. gift certificate. The resultswere almost comical as people scrambled aroundlooking for their life jackets. In many instances, thetest ended with adults trying to put on children’s lifejackets or finding no life jackets at all. We didn’t giveout many certificates, but several boaters now have abetter knowledge of what an “accessible life jacket” is.

One of the most significant victories in the life jacketbattle has been the development and approval ofinflatable life jackets. The main reason people say theydon’t wear life jackets is the lack of comfort. Thatexcuse no longer works since inflatables are verycomfortable.

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In December NASBLA’s Executive Director GeorgeStewart and I made a whirlwind tour of Washington,D.C., and met with several key people.

We spoke with Marion Blakey, the new chairman ofthe National Transportation Safety Board, who wasvery receptive to our message about boating safetyand wants to keep recreational boating safety on theNTSB’s “Most Wanted” list as the second leading causeof transportation-related fatalities in the United States.We feel confident that we will receive ChairmanBlakey’s support in our safety efforts.

I presented Larry Innis of the Marine RetailersAssociation of America with the NASBLA President’sAward for 2001. Larry has always been a great friendand supporter of NASBLA and boating safety.

We met with Jim Muldoon, chairman of the NationalBoating Safety Advisory Council, who is another greatsupporter of boating safety. It was during Jim’s watchon the Council that they passed a resolutionsupporting a 50/50 split of the motorboat fuel taxesbetween the Sports Fish Restoration account and theBoating Safety account.

We also met with Derrick Crandall, co-chair of the

American League of Anglers and Boaters. Derrick isvery familiar with our funding dilemmas and concursthat NASBLA should receive a realistic percentage ofthe motorboat fuel tax rather than being stuck at afixed amount and losing money to inflation every year.

I presented NASBLA’s report at the NationalRecreational Boating Safety Coalition chaired by TomO’Day. This group has also come out in support of ourefforts to receive 50 percent of the motorboat fuel tax.

We visited U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters and metwith the boating safety staff headed up by JohnMalatak. They are very busy doing more with less butremain very effective helping with state issues,including the bicentennial commemoration of theLewis and Clark Expedition. Scheduled to start January18, 2003, this event has the potential to make greatdemands on our resources and our state marinepatrols will be very involved in the related activities.

We concluded our visit to the headquarters byspeaking with Vice Admiral Thomas Collins whostood in for Admiral Loy. The admiral was veryreceptive to the needs of the boating safety programsand pledged the Coast Guard’s support in thereauthorization process.

While the U.S. Coast Guard does support an equitablesplit of the Wallop-Breaux appropriation of motorboatfuel taxes, the organization is not yet on board insupporting a 50/50 split of the funds between theBoating Safety and Sportfish Restoration accounts.

Organizations that do support the 50/50 split includethe National Boating Safety Advisory Council, NationalRecreational Boating Safety Coalition, National WaterSafety Congress, National Boating Federation, NationalSafe Boating Council, U.S. Sailing Association, MarineRetailers Association of America, American Council ofMarine Associations, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary,United States Power Squadrons and InternationalAssociation of Marine Investigators.

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The Numbering and Titling Committee met in January,and we’re gearing up for a round of committeemeetings in April.

The most important work of NASBLA takes place incommittee meetings. The committee members puttheir heads together to formulate solutions toproblems the states face. My hat is off to all membersof the committees, but especially to the committeechairs who dedicate endless hours for which theyreceive no compensation and who often deal with asense of frustration as they seek elusive solutions tothese problems.

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from the

HELM

NASBLA small craft advisory 1

Steve HallNASBLA President

PRESIDENTSteve Hall

VICE PRESIDENTAlvin Taylor

SECRETARY/TREASURERFred Messmann

EXECUTIVE EDITORJohn Johnson

MANAGING EDITORRon Sarver

EDITORKimberly Hermes

ART DIRECTORMichelle Huber-Kropp

CIRCULATION DIRECTORJoan Minton

EDITORIAL OFFICES1500 Leestown Road, Suite 330

Lexington KY 40511Phone: 859.225.9487

Fax: 859.231.6403E-mail: [email protected]

© Small Craft Advisory (ISSN: 1066-2383)Published bimonthly by the National Associationof State Boating Law Administrators, 1500Leestown Rd, Suite 330, Lexington, KY 40511(six issues). Subscription is $12 annually.Contact NASBLA for permission to reprintarticles, 859.225.9487. Send change of addressto Small Craft Advisory, 1500 Leestown Road,Suite 330, Lexington KY 40511.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE

BOATING LAW ADMINISTRATORS

ABOUT THE COVERThe Recreational Boating and FishingFoundation is a nonprofit organization whosemission is to increase participation inrecreational angling and boating and therebyincrease public awareness and appreciation ofthe need for protecting, conserving andrestoring this nation's aquatic natural resources. The cover shot is from their successful WaterWorks Wonders™ campaign. If you havequestions about the campaign and availableproducts, please contact Kristen Chambers, theRBFF program manager, at 703.519.0013 orsend her an e-mail at [email protected].


National Vessel Numbering &Titling Manual

NASBLA ispleased toannounce theavailability ofthe NationalV e s s e lNumbering &Titling Manual,second edition.This 448-pagebook is chock-full ofi n f o r m a t i o n

that anyone who deals with theregistration and titling of vessels needs.

The manual contains a section for eachstate that includes:• State contact information • General titling/registration information • Taxes & fees • Title terms and signatures • Repossession & salvage • Leases

Also included in the manual are:• Summary tables for easy state-by-state

comparison • NASBLA Numbering & Titling Model Acts • NASBLA Numbering & Titling Model

Procedures • What is required to be numbered &

titled in each state • Copies of actual state forms • Information on Canadian licensing of

vessels

Copies of the book are available forpurchase for $39 each. Governmententities receive a 30 percent discount offthe regular price at $27 per copy.Shipping and handling charges are $4.95per book. Please inquire about bulkshipping.

To order, simply e-mail the quantity,billing and shipping addresses, phonenumber and contact name [email protected]. Or call the NASBLAoffice at 859.225.9487 9:00 am - 5:00 pmEST. NASBLA accepts checks, purchaseorders, and most major credit cards.

NASBLA CommitteesNASBLA committees have begun the 2002year of policy work. The Numbering &Titling committee had a successfulmeeting in Las Vegas immediatelyfollowing the International Association ofMarine Investigators annual conference.The committee worked on issues rangingfrom 17-digit HIN to Vessel Identification

System (VIS) to registering non-poweredvessels.

April will be the big month for NASBLAcommittee meetings with all of the otherpolicy committees meeting in either DelMar, Calif., or in Daytona Beach, Fla., Seethe Recreational Boating Safety calendaron the back page for more information.

All committee membership and chargesinformation is available on the NASBLAwebsite at www.nasbla.org. Minutesfrom committee meetings will be postedto the respective committee pages as theyare available.

NASBLA DirectoryThe NASBLA 2002Directory is available fordownload on theNASBLA website atwww.nasbla.org. Thedirectory contains state-by-state listings of stateboating safetyprofessionals, NASBLAassociate members andU.S. Coast Guard Officeof Boating Safetycontacts, among others.

WSBAAAnnualConferenceThe Western StatesB o a t i n g

Administrators Association will hold itsannual conference April 18 & 19, 2002, inDel Mar, Calif. Accommodations areavailable at the Doubletree Hotel Del Marby calling 858.481.5900 Hotel reservationcutoff date is March 21, 2002. Earlyconference registration is available at$200. For more information call859.225.9487.

2002 InternationalBoating & WaterSafety SummitThe sixth annualInternational Boating &Water Safety Summit is beingheld at Daytona Beach, Fla.,

April 28-May 1, 2002. Accommodationsare available at the Adams Mark Hotel bycalling 800.444.2326. Early conferenceregistration is available at $295 beforeMarch 29, 2002. For more information,visit the National Safe Boating Councilwebsite at www.safeboatingcouncil.org orthe National Water Safety Congresswebsite at www.watersafetycongress.org.

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Memorial Day Weekend starts the summerboating season with an anticipated 80 millionboaters on the water. While only 27 percent ofthese boaters wear life jackets, many tragediesare preventable. Life jackets can be thedetermining factor between life and death inmany boating safety accidents. Each yeararound 700 people die in boating-relatedaccidents, and nine of every 10 victims wereNOT wearing a life jacket.

In an effort to combat these statistics, theNational Safe Boating Council has partneredwith the U.S. Coast Guard, the NationalAssociation of State Boating LawAdministrators and other boatingorganizations for the fourth annual NorthAmerican Safe Boating Campaign during theNational Safe Boating Week (May 18-24, 2002).

North American Safe Boating Week isdesigned to educate boaters that wearing lifejackets saves lives. The national campaignincludes a major one-day kickoff event to takeplace in Washington, D.C., hosted by theNational Safe Boating Council. In addition,hundreds of local volunteers will offeractivities in thousands of communities acrossAmerica. For the second year, the theme is“Boat Smart from the Start. Wear Your LifeJacket,” but the campaign will have a new look.

Campaign kits are sent out in late February.New items in the kit include information on thedangers of carbon monoxide, facts aboutlightning, A Guide to Marine Weather fromNOAA, a special publication from the AmericanCanoe Association covering knowing yourpaddling limits, emergency call proceduressticker, pamphlet covering marine radios andcellular phone usage, and a few other handout items.

Visit these websites for updates:www.safeboatingcampaign.com and

www.safeboatingcouncil.org.

2002 NORTH AMERICANSAFE BOATING CAMPAIGN! ! ! ! ! !

nasbla

NEWS

Concerns have been raised by boatingsafety officials in the United States, theboating industry and the boating publicabout the readability andunderstandability of personal flotationdevice (PFD) labels. With the introductionof fully inflatable PFDs, the clarity oflabels has become even more critical.

The U.S. Coast Guard has funded a two-year grant to redesign the labeling forPFDs. The goal of this project is toprovide the recreational boating consumerwith more accurate and comprehensiveinformation about design, uses, quality, fitand types of PFDs. With betterinformation, the public will be able tomake more informed decisions regardingthe selection, purchase and use of PFDs.Awareness of the benefits of wearingPFDs will lead to higher wear rates and adecrease in the number of drownings thatoccur each year on our nation’s waterways.

NASBLA has secured the commitment andsupport of Applied Safety and ErgonomicsInc. (ASE) of Ann Arbor, Mich., one of thetop safety and ergonomics engineeringfirms in the nation. In addition to workingon the redesign of the labeling, ASE isundertaking a project to examine the needfor and feasibility of restructuring the typeclassification system currently used for PFDs.

Concern over Classification The current classification system for PFDsincludes five Types (I, II, III, IV and V).Over time, there has been growingconcern about the extent to whichrecreational boaters understand thisclassification system especially as it relatesto Type V PFDs. The purpose of thisphase of the project is to determine theextent to which the current classificationsystem needs to be modified and thefeasibility of changing it. In consideringthis task, it is helpful to consider severalquestions:

1. What is the goal of classification?That is, why classify PFDs at all?

2. What, if anything, is wrong with theexisting system and would suchproblems suggest that reclassificationis warranted?

3. Is there a “better” system? That is,would a new scheme solve theproblems of the old one withoutintroducing new problems?

In general, there appear to be two usesfor the classification system. The first is“ s t a t u t o r y / r egu l a t o r y ”—d i f f e r en tregulations specify the types of PFDs that

are required for different applications. Thesecond is “informational” — classificationcan be used by consumers as a source ofinformation when selecting, purchasingand using PFDs. Classification can behelpful to recreational boaters bysimplifying and reducing the number ofvariables to consider when comparingPFDs and by highlighting or emphasizingthe most important variables. Since thegoal of the overall project is to enhancethe utility of information for recreationalboaters, it is important that anyclassification system be useful toconsumers while, at the same time,meeting the needs of statutory/regulatoryconcerns.

There is evidence that the current systemis potentially confusing to recreationalboaters, but fixing the “problems”associated with the current classificationsystem is not without its own pitfalls.

ASE, in conjunction with others, isworking to outline the different strategiesfor classifying PFDs. Current standardsand regulations have been collected andanalyzed, along with existing andproposed European standards.Classification systems from other domains(e.g., fire extinguishers, ladders, etc.) havealso been examined. Finally, data hasbeen collected from industry experts andfrom laypeople to determine how best togroup and classify PFDs. Work on thisphase of the project is ongoing and nofinal decisions have been made onwhether the current classification systemwill be modified or what it will look like if it is.

Looking at LabelsAs stated earlier, the goals of the labelingphase of the project are:

• to make labeling content moreuniform in content and/or format;and

• to provide recreational boaters withinformation they need to makeinformed purchase, selection, anduse decisions regarding theappropriate type of PFD within aclass based on their use patterns andneeds.

To accomplish these goals, ASE hasidentified individuals and groups that willserve as participants and contributors tothe redesign of the labeling. Theseindividuals come from the government,standards organizations, boating industrygroups, and so on.

In addition, concepts that might beaddressed on revised labeling have beenidentified based on an analysis of existingPFD labeling, PFD literature such as adsand catalogs, boat and water safetypublications, federal regulations andUnderwriters Laboratories documentationrelated to PFD labeling, accident data andthe like. To date, over 140 concepts havebeen identified for potential inclusion onthe revised labeling.

The next stage of the project involvesmaking decisions about how to pare thislist of concepts to those that are mostimportant to convey to recreationalboaters. In addition, these concepts willneed to be grouped and organized so theinformation can be presented in acoherent and readily understandablemanner. Finally, decisions will have to bemade on the format to use in presentingthe information.

What to Expect Once this work is completed, preliminarydraft labeling will be developed,evaluated and revised. Evaluation will beperformed by project members and otherinterested parties. In addition, empiricaltesting will be conducted to determinehow recreational boaters perceive andinterpret the labels.

The result of this work will be theproduction of revised labels and thedelivery of a draft standard to theStandard Technical Panel for PFDs atUnderwriters Laboratories. This work isexpected to be completed by the late2002–early 2003 time frame.

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PFD Classification and LabelingBy Steve Young, Applied Safety and Ergonomics Inc.

What’s in a Label?


Photo courtesy Mustang Survival


According to a 1999 study by the JSIResearch & Training Institute, less thanone-quarter of U.S. boaters wear their lifejackets while on the water. The U.S. CoastGuard estimates that up to 90 percent ofdrownings could be prevented if everyboater would wear a personal flotationdevice (PFD) while boating.

Since the majority of boating-relateddrownings result from individuals notwearing their life jackets, a challengefacing boating law administrators, the U.S.Coast Guard and other boating safetyprofessionals is increasing the use ofpersonal flotation devices (PFDs) byrecreational boaters.

“A key issue is how to get people tounderstand that wearing a PFD can saveyour life,” says Charlie Kearns withStearns Manufacturing. “The biggest issueis how to get people to wear life jackets.From listening to people talk about whythey don’t wear PFDs, it seems to comedown to one key word: perception. Theboater’s perception often runs along thelines of ‘It could never happen to me,’ ‘Ionly need a life jacket in stormy or roughconditions,’ ‘I’ve always done it this way’and ‘I’m a good swimmer. If I fall in, I’llput my life jacket on then or swim toshore.’ These perceptions can beaddressed only through education.”

Efforts are being made across the nationto educate boaters about the value ofwearing PFDs. Boating professionals areincorporating both traditional andinnovative methods of gettingtheir messages across.

For example, the IdahoDepartment of Parks andRecreation (IDPR) just completedan advertising campaign that markedthe first time the state used paidadvertising and professionallyproduced commercials.

Using this approach made the state’s two-year “Sport the Vest” campaign verysuccessful. Marketing researchdemonstrated that about 60 percent ofthose surveyed, half of whom wereboaters, remembered the message at theend of both summers that the ads aired.

“By adding this medium to our traditionaleducation methods,” says Ann Van Buren,IDPR boating education coordinator, “weincreased our reach from 20,000 to nearly300,000 people a year – about a third of

the state’s population – at acost of about 30 cents perperson.”

IDPR is making its radio and televisionspots available to other states andprovinces to reproduce for local use.Idaho will continue to use the theme“Sport the Vest,” but the commercials canbe modified with different slogans.Written permission is needed to makemodifications due to copyright and talentcontracts. Contact Van Buren [email protected] for details.

Most government agencies are hesitant touse paid advertising due to limitedresources. “Internal critics worried wewould take money away from lawenforcement salaries,” says Van Buren.“The truth is that it is probably the mostcost-effective method we are using tochange the attitudes shaping riskybehavior. Yes, we had to commit fundingto get it done, but we reached hundredsof thousands more people than withprevious campaigns, exposing eachperson 28 times to a minute-longmessage.”

Officials with IDPR noticed the traditionaleducation methods were reaching afraction of the boaters, succeeding ingetting more people to wear life jacketsand reducing drownings related to notwearing PFDs by 10 percent in a decade.

But they saw the need to infusethe message with new life.

They also felt they neededhelp reaching adultsportsmen whocomprise most ofIdaho’s fatalities.

“It used to be that youcould count on newsreleases and public

service announcements todo the trick,” Van Buren says. “Today,

reaching the public is much morecompetitive. You need great ads that areaired when the majority of your targetaudience is listening. Most importantly,we are competing for the public’sattention. People are technologicallysophisticated and are bombarded bymultiple messages all day. You needsomething that will grab their attention.”

There are multiple benefits to adding paidadvertising to the mix. Unlike publicservice announcements, advertising lendsitself well to evaluative measurement.Once its appeal wears off, the ad can be

u s e dagain in other parts of the country.Another benefit to hiring an ad agency isthat those people involved in the adslearn the messages they are publicizingand use those with other clients. Forexample, the agency used by IDPR isfeaturing boaters wearing PFDs in ads forother clients.

The bottom line is that professionaladvertising costs more upfront but can bean effective tool when used wisely. Paidadvertising works because the majority ofpeople get their news from TV and radio– media that play a key role indetermining what will become the salientissues of the day.

Boating safety professionals in all statesand territories are finding new ways toencourage the use of personal flotationdevices. Many boating safety programsinclude teaching boating safety courses,speaking to schools and other groups,organizing boating safety events,collaborating with local restaurants forreward programs and coordinating mediablitzes.

A popular tactic is a life jacket loanerprogram. While some states operate theirown loaner programs, others participatein the program managed by the BoatU.S.Foundation for Boating Safety & CleanWater. For information about the BoatU.S.program, contact Catherine Whitehouse,program administrator, at (703) 823-9550 x3201.

Another approach gaining popularity is torequire officers to wear PFDs while onpatrol. This sets a good example. Andwith more states allowing officers to wearinflatable PFDs, this strategy elicits muchinterest from people with whom theofficers come in contact.

Following are additional ideas to promotethe use of PFDs.

AlaskaKids Don’t Float: Sponsored by a coalition ofagencies, this grassroots effort aims at reducing

By Kimberly Hermes

Increasing the Use of Life Jackets


drowning among children and youth. Itincludes providing loaner PFDs to boaters, apresentation available for educators and aunique peer program. The KDF Peer EducatorProgram involves high school students inlearning key safety concepts and teaching theseconcepts to elementary school students.

CaliforniaLife jacket trade-in: This event encouragesboaters to throw away old, deteriorated lifejackets and buy new ones. The motivation isthat Department of Boating and Waterways will

give a new donated life jacket to persons whobring a worn-out life jacket for trade. When thesupply of donated life jackets is depleted,representatives encourage boaters to purchasenew PFDs at local marine or retail stores. Theysometimes have coupons from local retailers.

AquaSMART LIVE: In conjunction with theDepartment of Education, the departmentdeveloped grade-specific boating safetyeducation curriculums for the state publicschool system. These programs wereintroduced in 1985 and currently make boatingsafety education available to 8,568 schoolshaving a total student population of nearly6,000,000. The department also tours a highquality show titled AquaSMART Live whichteaches children in kindergarten through sixthgrade how to be safe when in or around thewater. The show works in tandem with thedepartment’s current AquaSMART curriculum,video and website.

Poster contest: Students in grade levels K-8are invited to submit original artwork depictingaquatic and boating safety themes.

Media: The department partners with theAdopt-A-Beach program to place safety postersat marina entrances, on docks and in picnicareas. To continue reaching boaters, thedepartment places posters at launch ramps, fueldocks and park entrances. Articles and adsaimed at anglers are placed in fishingpublications reminding folks that “Fish haveGills...Fishermen Don’t” – wear your life jacket.

ConnecticutPFD Fashion Show: As partof Boating Safety Week, theDepartment ofEnvironmental ProtectionBoating Division presented aPDF Fashion Show. Themajor themes were 1) thereis a WEARABLE life jacketout there that is comfortablefor every water sport and 2)PFDs must be WORN inorder to keep you afloat.The agency also conductsdemonstrations of CoastGuard approved inflatables.

KentuckyMedia: The Department ofFish & Wildlife Resources isplanning an outing for theirweekly television show inwhich the importance ofwearing PFDs while huntingor fishing on the water isdiscussed.

MarylandParades: Each year theDepartment of NaturalResources participates inthree Christmas BoatParades. The department’sfloat displays a lighted signstating “Life Jackets SaveLives.” The patrol boat isdecorated with an array oflights, PFD Panda, lifejacket-wearing-wavers and

Frosty the Snowman.

Youth events: In the fall, Maryland hosted ayouth event for nearly 100 children to educatethe children about boating safety and huntingsafety issues.

MinnesotaMedia: The Department of Natural Resources isproducing a new series of humorous TV andradio public service announcements to sellboaters on the idea that it is “stupid” not towear a PFD. In May, the state begins producingweekly press releases on boating safety issues.These releases are widely carried by the stateprint and broadcast media. Observationalstudies shows that PFD wear rates haveincreased from 13% overall in 1984 to 51%overall now. For children the rate went from47% in 1984 to 88% now – all without amandatory PFD law.

MississippiMedia: In addition to news releases aboutPFDs, Mississippi Department of Wildlife,

Fisheries & Parks produces a TV showpromoting the use of different types of PFDs.

MontanaPublic information: The Montana Safe Kidscoalition distributes water safety packets tofamilies throughout the state. The packetcontains safety information about boating,dams, swimming and life jackets in addition toinformation on the different types of PFDs andhow to fit them, Montana’s PFD laws, a PFDsticker, and an iron-on decal kids can color andwear on their shirt.

NevadaIt Pays to Wear Your Life Jacket: SinceNevada does not have a mandatory wear law,Division of Wildlife designed this campaign toreinforce the voluntary wearing of life jacketsby rewarding boaters with gifts and cash.(Editor’s note: See details in the State Briefssection beginning on p. 10.)

OregonMedia: The Marine Board provides life jacketsafety information online. It routinelypublicizes the state’s accident statistics, notinghow many of the fatalities involved PFDs. PFDsafety will be a key component in the state’s“Coastal Boating Task Force” in 2002 focusingresources and educational and informationefforts on boaters in coastal areas.

South DakotaMedia: Among other media outlets, thedepartment used billboards along majorhighways for the first time last year to urgepeople to wear PFDs.

TexasJunior Boater: This hands-on programtargeted for youth under 13 uses a station-by-station, activity-based format to teach watersafety. At one station, kids have fun learninghow to properly put on and secure a PFD in arace and at another station they learn how tothrow a Type IV PFD in the PFD Toss.

Partnerships: TPW collaborated with severallocal, state and federal agencies andorganizations to develop a poster/video publicservice announcement titled “It only takes asecond,” reminding people that a drowninghappens very quickly.

VermontPublic relations: The RecreationalEnforcement & Educational Unit received agrant from the National Safe Boating Council topromote the wearing of life jackets by paddlers.The department purchased water bottlescontaining the message “Paddle Smart” and“Wear Your Life Jacket.” Officers give thebottles to paddlers as they encounter them.

VirginiaPublic relations: Virginia’s mandatory wearlaw applies only to personal watercraft (PWC)operators, so the Department of Game & InlandFisheries developed a consistent three-partmessage to use for every media or othereducational opportunity. The parts of themessage are: Wear a Life Jacket; Do not Drinkand Boat; and Take a Boating Safety Course.The life jacket theme is expanded by referringto life jackets as the seat belts/air bags of boating.

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Sporting various life jackets, the Connecticut Department ofEnvironmental Protection Boating Staff hosted a PFD Fashion Showto raise awareness of personal flotation devices. Participating in theshow were (clockwise from bottom) Anna Shatzer, Jacky Gorman,John Byron, Amy Ryiz and Andrea Lane. Photo courtesy Maryland DNR

nickel’s

WORTH


January 2002 began the second session ofthe 107th Congress. What we need toaccomplish during this session is buildingbridges among the Bush administration,Congress, the states, the NationalAssociation of State Boating LawAdministrators (NASBLA) associatemembers, other water-orientedassociations and, most of all, the boatingpublic we serve to let them know wherewe are and where we expect to go in 2004.

To construct these bridges, we need to laya good foundation on the positive use ofthe boating safety trust funds to reduceboating fatalities and make our waterssafe. At the same time, we must convey toCongress and the boating public thestates’ projected use of the additionalrevenue they would get if they received50 percent of the total federal fuel taxrevenue attributable to motorboat fuel taxin FY04.

Of utmost importance as we build thesebridges is to let all concerned know thatthe National Boating Safety AdvisoryCouncil (BSAC), which is mandated byCongress to advise the U.S. Coast Guardon boating safety issues, is on recordsupporting a 50-50 split of the motorboatfuel tax receipts between the BoatingSafety and Sportfish Restoration accounts.This council is comprised of sevenmembers from the public sector, sevenmembers from the boating industry andseven state officials in boating safety,usually boating law administrators.

In addition to NASBLA and BSAC, thefollowing organizations have voiced theirsupport of the 50-50 split:

• American Council of Marine Associations• International Association of Marine

Investigators• Marine Retailers Association of America• National Boating Federation• National Recreational Boating Safety

Coalition• National Safe Boating Council• National Water Safety Congress• United States Power Squadrons• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary• U.S. Sailing Association

We need to lay a good foundation thisyear showing justification for the 50-50split of the revenue generated by thefederal excise tax boaters pay on fuelused in their boats. We who are close tothe programs easily see the need, but

others may not be as familiar.

For instance, the events of September 11have brought to the forefront ourhistorical but lesser known role inhomeland security for dams, hydroelectricand nuclear power plants, water suppliesand other facilities. We need to highlightthat these are not new duties for us butthat the increased emphasis is placing asignificant drain on our already-tight budgets.

In addition to the focus on security,boating-related electrocutions and carbonmonoxide poisonings are receivingnational attention. This also results inadded duties in meeting greater demandsfor public safety and awareness materials.

Again, our success in reauthorization ofthe Wallop-Breaux Trust Fund depends onthe building of bridges in 2002 with thekey Congressional committees andsubcommittees that will draft thelegislation for reauthorization. Allmembers of the House are up for re-election in 2002, and there may be somechanges to the committee makeup. Thecommittees responsible for initiatingreauthorization of Wallop-Breaux are theSenate Oceans and FisheriesSubcommittee within the SenateCommerce, Science and TransportationCommittee and the House Coast Guardand Maritime TransportationSubcommittee within the HouseTransportation and InfrastructureCommittee.

Boating law administrators who havemade inroads with their U.S. Senators andU.S. Representatives, especially those inthe two subcommittees mentioned above,need to keep NASBLA Executive DirectorGeorge Stewart updated on these contactsso he can have the information availablefor the Reauthorization Committee indealing with the subcommittees in 2003when the 108th Congress convenes.

The purpose of any bridge is to unite twosides by spanning an obstacle. If we aresuccessful, our bridges will bring togethera united boating community and eliminatemany of the obstacles that have stood inthe way of safer and more enjoyableboating. That’s a phrase you’ve heardbefore, but what better cornerstone couldthere be?

! ! !

By George Stewart, Ed Carter and Charlie Clark

In reauthorization of the AquaticResources (Wallop-Breaux) Trust Fund,

we have a good track record inovercoming the many obstacles in ourpath. This is illustrated below as stepswe have made up the funding ladder.

The next step on the ladder will be thereauthorization coming up in 2003. Ourgoal is a 50-50 split of the federal fuel

tax attributable to motorboat fuelbetween the Boating Safety and Sport

Fish Restoration accounts.

2004goal of at least $110 million

1999$59 million

appropriated

1994$40.45 millionappropriated

1989$33.4 millionappropriated

1985$23 million

appropriated

1983$12.5

millionappropriated

Building Bridges for Reauthorization

Dollar figures represent the average amount for eachauthorization of the trust fund.


Picking a PFDWhen it comes to choosing the rightpersonal flotation devices, there are manydecisions to make. Five types of PFDs areavailable to consumers; however, thegeneral boater population usuallyencounters only Types I through IV whenusing or purchasing these essential piecesof equipment. Three of these four typesare wearable PFDs. But even amongwearable PFDs, there exist varying uses,advantages and disadvantages. Inaddition, PFDscome in a variety ofshapes, colors andmaterials, adding tothe list of choicesfor the consumer.

PFDs are availablein different USCGApproval Types,and not all PFDs aresuitable for allactivities. To makethe task of choosingthe right PFD lessc o m p l i c a t e d ,consumers need tokeep in mind thetype of on-wateractivity for whichthe PFD will beused.

In 1994, the CoastGuard received reports of 6,906recreational boating accidents whichresulted in 784 fatalities, 613 of whichwere drownings. Coast Guard-approvedlife jackets could have saved the lives of atleast 550 boaters who drowned in 1994,including approximately 30 children whowere 12 years of age or younger.

Although the law states that allrecreational boats must carry one

wearable Coast Guard-approved PFD foreach person aboard, during this year’sNational Safe Boating Campaign, theCoast Guard and other recreationalboating safety organizations will urge allrecreational boaters to wear their life jackets.

Historically, the major obstacle toencouraging the recreational boatingpublic to wear life jackets while boatingwas the fact that the Coast Guard-

approved inherently buoyant life jacketswere too bulky and deemeduncomfortable by consumers.

On March 28, 1996, the U.S. Coast Guardpublished a final rule in the FederalRegister establishing structural andperformance standards for inflatable lifejackets for recreational boaters, as well asthe procedures for Coast Guard approvalof inflatable life jackets. The regulations in

the final rule allow approval of life jacketswhich may be more appealing to boaters,thereby increasing the percentage of lifejackets actually used by the boating publicand saving lives. Several manufacturersnow have Coast Guard-approvedinflatable life jackets on the market.

An important factor to consider inchoosing a PFD is the level of flotation itoffers. There are three basic kinds of

flotation among the five types ofPFDs:

❂ Inherently Buoyant – Primarilyconstructed of foam, these PFDs arethe most reliable. They are availablein wearable and throwable styles andthey are appropriate for bothswimmers and non-swimmers.Inherently buoyant PFDs areavailable in adult, youth, child andinfant sizes. Some are designed forwater sports.

❂ Inflatable – These PFDs are themost compact and are available onlyin wearable styles. They are availablein adult sizes and are recommendedfor use by swimmers only.

❂ Hybrid – Combining foamconstruction with inflationcapabilities, these reliable PFDs are

available in wearable styles for adults,youths and children. Some hybridsare designed for water sports.

With continual advances in technology,the market now carries PFDs for a varietyof activities and personalities. Consumerssimply need to determine which style fitstheir needs best while adhering to CoastGuard and state/territory regulations.

! ! !

By Kimberly Hermes

Ski vest, float coat, fishing vest, deck suit, work vest, buoyant cushion,

horseshoe buoy, wind surfing vest. Foam, inflatable, hybrid. Red, blue,

black, yellow, green, purple, orange (the list goes on and on).

For nearly a decade, NASBLA has urged itsmember states to establish a written policyrequiring marine law enforcement officers towear personal flotation devices while on patrolin an enforcement vessel. Today, 40 states andterritories require their marine patrol officers towear PFDs while underway on a patrol vessel.Of those that require PFD wear, the followingallow their officers to use inflatable PFDs:

AlaskaArizonaConnecticutDelawareFloridaIllinoisMaineMarylandMassachusetts

MichiganMinnesotaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahoma

OregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth DakotaTexasVermontVirginiaWest Virginia

O F F I C E R S , P F D S & I N F L A T A B L E S

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TYPE II PFD – NEAR-SHORE BUOYANCY VEST

Intended for calm, inland water or where there is agood chance of quick rescue. Inherent buoyantPFDs of this type will turn some unconsciouswearers face up in the water, but the turning is notas pronounced as a Type I. This type of inflatableturns as well as a Type I foam PFD.

TYPE III PFD – FLOTATION AID

Good for conscious users in calm, inland water, or where there is a good chanceof quick rescue. NOT for rough waters since they will not turn a person face up.The Type III foam vest has the same minimum buoyancy as a Type II PFD. SomeType III PFDs are designed to inflate when the wearer enters the water. Generallythe most comfortable type for continuous wear. Float coats, fishing vests, andvests designed with features suitable for various sports activities are examples ofthis type PFD. This type inflatable turns as well as a Type II foam PFD.

TYPE IV PFD – THROWABLE DEVICE

Intended for calm, inland water with heavy boat traffic where help is alwayspresent. Designed to be thrown to someone in trouble in the water. NOTdesigned to be worn. NOT appropriate for: long hours in rough waters, non-swimmers or the unconscious. Type IV devices include buoyant cushions, liferings, and horseshoe buoys. There are no inflatable Type IV devices. Type IVsdo not fulfill the one-per-person requirement. However, at least one Type IV PFDmust be kept onboard, immediately available for a person overboard.

TYPE V PFD – SPECIAL-USE DEVICE

Intended for specific activities and may be carried instead ofanother PFD only if used according to the approval condition(s) onits label. A Type V PFD provides performance of a Type I, II or IIIPFD (as marked on its label). Some Type V PFDs are designed toinflate when you enter the water. If the label says the PFD is“approved only when worn,” the PFD must be worn, except forpersons in enclosed spaces, and used in accordance with theapproval label to meet carriage requirements. Some Type Vdevices provide significant hypothermia protection. Type V PFDsinclude deck suits, work vests, wind surfing vests and hybrids.

Types of PFDs . . .TYPE I PFD – OFF-SHORE LIFE JACKET

Provides the most buoyancy. Geared for rough orremote waters where rescue may take a while.Effective for all waters. Designed to turn mostunconscious wearers face up in the water.

state

BRIEFS


As the 2001 boating season ended,Utah’s drowning statistics were asobering reminder of the

importance of life jackets. Eight of thestate’s 12 boating-related deaths couldhave been prevented had the victims beenwearing life jackets.

For 2002, the Division of Utah State Parksand Recreation is creating a newmarketing plan to encourage boaters not

only to have personal floatation devices(PFDs) on board their boats but also towear them.

The first fatality occurred at JordanelleState Park. It was early May and the waterwas extremely cold. A spring storm cameup, creating choppy, hazardousconditions. Two young men were out intheir canoe when the storm hit. The canoecapsized, and the two were thrown into

the freezingwater. Thoughone man waspulled to safetyby a nearbykayaker, theother mandrowned. Theirlife jackets werelater found insidetheir parkedvehicle.

With this tragedyin mind, UtahState ParksB o a t i n gCoordinator TedWoolley beganworking with alocal public

relations firm to create the new PFDmarketing plan.

“We want people to view life jackets asthey do seat belts,” stated Woolley. “Myhope is that all boaters will know ‘buckleup’ applies to life jackets, too.”

Woolley plans to launch the campaign atSafe Boating Week 2002 when Utah StateParks boating rangers host Boating SafetyDemonstration Days on May 17, 18 and19. This family event is part of Utah SafeBoating Week (May 18-24), whichcoincides with National Safe BoatingWeek. All state activities are a cooperativeeffort between Utah State Parks andRecreation, North America Safe BoatingCouncil, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, UtahMarine Dealers and U.S. Power Squadrons.

Also in 2002, Woolley will proposelegislation that will require licensing formotorboat operators. The legislationwould require boat operators to pass awritten test at a driver’s license office andprohibit children under the age of 12 fromoperating a boat with a motor greater than10 horsepower. The legislation would alsomerge boating-under-the-influence (BUI)law with the driving-under-the-influence(DUI) law.

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Ohio’s Operation Overboard Begins Second YearWith the traditional start of theboating season yet to arrive, Ohio’sstate watercraft officers are

beginning their second year for OperationOverboard. Initiated last year, the safetyprogram consists of early seasonwatercraft patrols, vessel safety checks atboat ramps and on waterways, andproviding safety information to boaters.

“It is never too early to remind peopleabout boating safety, especially in coldclimate areas of the country during latewinter and early spring,” said Jeff Hoedt,chief of the Ohio Department of NaturalResources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft.

A specific focus of Operation Overboardis to contact watercraft operators andinspect their vessels for proper loading inaddition to required safety equipment.Many fatal boating accidents result frompersons falling overboard and boatscapsizing. About 80 percent of all boatingfatality victims were not properly wearingan approved life jacket at the time of theiraccident.

Seventeen fatal boating incidents claimed19 lives last year on Ohio’s waterways,including three men who died last May onLake Erie when their boat broke apart andcapsized. The victims were each wearinga life jacket but succumbed to the effectsof hypothermia in the 49-degree water.

Though Ohio saw a reduction in boatingfatalities from 25 in 2000 to 19 in 2001, 14

of 19 fatality victims last year were notwearing an approved life jacket and 13died as a result of drowning.

Operation Overboard directs watercraftofficers to specifically look for potentialhazards such as improperly loaded boatsduring vessel safety checks. The programprimarily targets people using small boatson inland waters from late winter throughspring. Only one boater fatality occurredin Ohio between January 1 and April 30 oflast year.

Ohio’s state watercraft officers performed14,500 written and 8,500 visualinspections of watercraft during 2001.

“Programs such as this are intended toreduce boating fatalities, enhance boatingsafety and increase awareness regardingsafe boating practices,” said Hoedt.

! ! !

“It is never too early to

remind people about

boating safety, especially in

cold climate areas of the

country during late winter

and early spring.”

(l-r) Utah Lake Park Manager Bob Foote, State Boating Coordinator TedWoolley, Utah Governor Michael Leavitt and Park Ranger Chris Miller areaccompanied by several local children on Utah State Parks Rescue One – theGreat Salt Lake rescue boat – to kick off the state’s 2001 Safe Boating Week.Photo courtesy Utah Division of Parks & Recreation

Utah State Boating Program Season in Review


Nevada Awards Family of Nine $1,000 for Wearing Life JacketsA Utah family went home $1,000richer after spending a day onSouthern Nevada’s Lake Mead. Clay

Cottam, his wife, and seven children wereall voluntarily wearing their life jacketswhen checked by game wardens at anOUI (operating under the influence)checkpoint held at Overton Landing. Thecash reward was the top prize in the “ItPays to Wear Your Life Jacket” campaignsponsored by the Nevada Division ofWildlife (NDOW).

“The kids want us to buy water skiingequipment. We’ll probably use it to makethree or four boat payments or pay somebills,” Cottam said.

Ironically, as the Cottams were receiving areward for wearing their life jackets,officers were taking another boater to jailfor OUI.

The campaign began Memorial Weekendand ran throughout the summer boatingseason, ending with Labor Day weekend.

Two other $1,000 prizes were also givenout – one at Sand Harbor on Lake Tahoeand the other on South Fork Reservoirnear Elko.

In all, about 100 prize envelopes weredistributed by game wardens on watersthroughout the state. In addition to cash

prizes, boaters received certificates fromsuch businesses as Blockbuster Video,Port of Subs and the Mandalay Resort Group.

“From the beginning, our goal with thiscampaign has been to increase thevoluntary wearing of life jackets byboaters,” explained Fred Messmann,Nevada’s boating law administrator. “Ithink we have done that, but we wouldlike to see all boaters and their passengerswearing their life jackets. As many as 90percent of all boating fatalities could beprevented if boaters would wear their lifejackets.”

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Oregon Marine Patrol Officers Get Unique TrainingWith the September 11 terroristattack still fresh in their minds,Oregon marine officers spent part ofa post-season conference in

October practicing their skills in a uniquevenue designed to prepare them for theunexpected.

“We wanted to give them training theyhadn’t had before,” said Pat Rowland, lawenforcement training coordinator for theOregon State Marine Board. “We hold thisconference every year in a differentlocation, and this location – on the shoresof Klamath Lake in southern Oregon –gave us the opportunity to try some newthings. And it worked very well.”

New to the conference this year was afull-day rodeo designed to test marineofficer skills and provide critical training.Groups of officers rotated through a seriesof stations where they participated in a“simulated” boat-to-boat gun battle, livefire training from a patrol boat at anonshore target (the first such training inOregon), boat operating and trailering,and knot-tying.

This training is conducted by the OregonDepartment of Public Safety Standardsand Training in much the same manner asother police training, but it is customizedfor the Marine Board. Safety is critical.Officers are not allowed to bring firearmsinto the training area. No live ammunitionis allowed in and all trainees are patteddown and checked with a metal detectorfor live ammunition, knives or otherpossible weapons. All training firearmsare clearly marked with blue grips and alltrainees wear the required safety equipment.

Officers also were trained on “Range2000,” a state-of-the-art computer training

aid specifically customized with boatingscenarios. In this training, officers face alarge video projection screen and arepresented with scenarios such as a routinesafety check or a violation stop.Depending on the officer’s response tothe video suspect, a computer operatorcan escalate the situation or resolve itpeacefully. If escalated, the video suspectmay fire on the officer, forcing the officerto return fire. The unit records where theofficer’s “bullets” hit and adjusts the videosuspect’s response accordingly. If fatallywounded, the fight is over. If not, the fightmay continue. The officer’s reactions arealso monitored.

The weeklong conference also includedclassroom lectures, team-buildingexercises and discussions on the issues ofthe day. However, the field training drewthe most praise. “Our goal is that officersbe well trained to respond confidentlyand appropriately in all the situations theymay face,” says Rowland. “We really don’texpect Oregon to become a terroristtarget, but we do occasionally run intodrug enforcement or other issues thatcould result in confrontation. We hopethis training will help them be ready.”

For information on the training exercises,contact Pat Rowland at (503) 373-1405 x242.

! ! !

Marine patrol officers participate in a combat simulation exercise during Oregon’s annual post-season conference. In this activity, the officers act out a routine stop which might resolvepeacefully or escalate into conflict, depending on cues from the training supervisor. The scenariouses real handguns but the guns’ barrels have been modified to shoot paint balls. All “players”wear protective gear. The officers have no prior information on how the scenario will play out.Despite the fact that this is just training, officers agree that it is realistic and very tense. Photo courtesy Oregon State Marine Board

Exemplary marine law enforcementofficers and enforcement agencies wererecently presented with Marine LawEnforcement Merit Awards by WashingtonState Parks and Recreation CommissionBoating Programs. The awardpresentations capped the 2001 Fall MarineLaw Enforcement Conference in Spokane.

Officer of the Year honors went to Sgt.Mike Sanford, Chelan Police Department,for his tireless efforts in making the watersof Lake Chelan and Chelan County saferplaces for recreational boaters. Sgt.Sanford will now represent Washington inthe regional Marine Law Enforcement ofthe Year competition.

Sgt. Sanford’s agency was a double-winner, with the Chelan Police

Department winning the MarineEnforcement Agency of the Year award.

The Marine Education Merit Award for2001 was presented to Deputy Gary Velieof the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department.

The Marine Life Saving Award went toOfficer Dale Johnson and Cadet RyanJackman of the Bainbridge Island PoliceDepartment.

Also recognized at the awards banquetwas Pierce County Sheriff’s Departmentrecent retiree Sgt. Pat Lemagie, who wasnamed Washington’s Marine Officer of theYear in 2000 and went on to take bothregional and national Officer of the Yearhonors in 2001.

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PEOPLE


Lifetime Achievement Award PresentedEach year, the National Association ofState Boating Law Administrators(NASBLA) recognizes those persons orgroups who have significantly contributedto boating safety. One of the esteemedawards presented is the NASBLA LifetimeAchievement Award, an honor given to aperson who has contributed to boatingsafety throughout his or her life. In 2001,five recipients were selected for thisaward, and during the organization’sannual conference, which was held inAnchorage, Alaska, last October, four of

these awards were presented. (Editor’snote: For information about these fourrecipients, see “North to the Future” in theJanuary/February 2002 Small Craft Advisory.)

The fifth lifetime achievement award waspresented to Major Larry Rhinehart ofIndiana in December. Rhinehart workedas a conservation officer for the IndianaDepartment of Natural Resources from1971 until his retirement in 2000. He alsoserved as that state’s boating lawadministrator (BLA) from 1987 through

1999. As BLA, Rhinehart emphasized bothboating education and enforcement inIndiana by initiating a number of newprograms. During his tenure he served onseveral NASBLA committees and theExecutive Board, being elected presidentin 1994. Rhinehart also served two termson the U. S. Coast Guard’s NationalBoating Safety Advisory Council. In 1995he was presented with NASBLA’s BonnerAward.

! ! !

Sgt. Mike Sanford (right) of the Chelan PoliceDepartment accepts Washington’s Marine Officerof the Year Award from Terry Rudnick ofWashington State Parks’ Boating Programs office.The award presentation capped Washington’s2001 Fall Marine Law Enforcement Conference inSpokane. Photo by Mark Kenny

Washington Marine Enforcement Officers, Agencies Honored

Florida Officers Lose Lives in Line of DutyFlorida Fish & Wildlife Conservation(FWC) law enforcement officers Charles T.Randall and Roy R. Burnsed were killed inlate October when they were involved ina head-on collision with each other whilepatrolling at night in the Holey LandWildlife Management Area just south ofLake Okeechobee.

Randall, 32, of Plantation, began workingfor the FWC in 1999 after completing lawenforcement training in Quincy. His fatherdescribed him as having “a serious interestand concern about wildlife,” one thatdeveloped since he was a young boygrowing up in New Jersey and upstateNew York.

“Officer Randall was very well-liked byfellow employees and the hunters and

fishermen that he routinely encountered,”said Col. Robert Edwards, director of theFWC law enforcement division. “He wasvery dedicated and loyal to hissupervisors, fellow officers and theCommission. He was known for alwaysbeing willing to participate, and he neversaid ‘no’ to any unfamiliar task.”

Friends and relatives described Burnsed,25, of Blountstown, as a positive rolemodel for young people and anoutstanding high school football player.The son of Roy Burnsed Sr., a 29-yearFWC law enforcement veteran, Burnsed Jr.was hired by the FWC in June after hecompleted law enforcement training inQuincy.

“He (Burnsed) absolutely epitomizedwhat you are looking for in a ‘modernday’ conservation officer,” said Edwards.“While at the academy, he shared hisknowledge and outdoor experience freelywith others, including taking at least twoof the recruits turkey hunting for the firsttime in their lives. Even in the short timehe worked for this agency, he touchedmany people.”

Edwards said that he pondered a longtime about what happened and why ithappened. “The only thing I can come upwith,” he said, “is that the Big Man upthere needs two fine officers.”

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partner

PERSPECTIVES


Wearing PFDs: Buckling Up on the WaterYou’ve probably heard the slogans aboveand many others. Some slogans about lifejackets are catchy and others are corny.But what do boaters “hear” when they seeor hear those slogans? What do those ofus in law enforcement and boating safety“hear” when we use these slogans? Is itthe same? Is it different? Does it dependon the person?

Like many boating safety programs, thefocus in Operation BoatSmart is lifejackets. Our first principle is “Wearing lifejackets saves lives.” Notice that theemphasis is not on “life jackets” but ratherthe wearing of life jackets. Why? Becauselife jackets by themselves do nothingother than float. They float whether theyare empty or full, whether someone is inthem or not.

It’s not life jacketsthat save lives – it’speople wearing lifejackets that saves lives.

As we talk to boatersand those in theboating safety andlaw enforcementfields about lifejackets, we arestruck by the factthat what peopleseem to hear is oftenmore like “Havinglife jackets saveslives” or “CarryingPFDs in goodcondition withineasy access onboardyour vessel saveslives.” Or they take it to mean: “Childrenshould always wear a life jacket” or “Non-swimmers, people engaged in dangerousboating activities, boaters out in badweather and boaters whose boats aretaking on water and in imminent dangerof sinking should probably put life jacketson if they have time.”

Drownings account for more than 70percent of all boating deaths. This meansthat on average, eight out of ten boatingaccident victims were not wearing lifejackets. According to a study of boatingaccident reports by BoatU.S. Foundation’sSportsman’s Forum, that figure is over 90percent for hunters and anglers.

In addition, over 70 percent of alldrowning deaths are precipitated by

unexpected entry into the water. Thismeans that Mr. Joe Boater has no time tograb his “readily accessible” life jacket –he’s in the water before he knows whathappened. So if we suggest to all the Joeand Jane Boaters out there that they keepa life jacket handy, we may inadvertentlyperpetuate a false sense of security. Theythink keeping their PFDs handy is goodenough, when in truth it isn’t. Mycolleague Steve Phillips, the Coast GuardRecreational Boating Safety Specialist fromU.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, FifthDistrict, likes to say, “That’s like saying,‘I’m going to buckle my seat belt beforethe car crashes.’ It just doesn’t work that way!”

A seat belts analogy is something thatpeople on the law enforcement and safetyside can appreciate. Think about seat beltuse for a moment. Like many folks

nowadays, I feel anxious and vulnerable ifI’m not firmly buckled in whenever I’m ina car. But I can remember years ago whenI NEVER wore a seat belt – and I was notalone. Today a little over 70 percent of allAmericans wear seat belts.

Observed PFD wear nationwide is around23 percent. (If PWC operators areexcluded, that number goes down toabout 17 percent.) If we could increasethe observed PFD wear rate 50, 60 or 70percent, fatalities would be cutdramatically – with one simple behaviorchange.

What caused that behavioral changeregarding seat belt use within our culture?Here are a few probable factors:

1. Refinements in seat belts made themeasier and more comfortable to wear.

2. There was a big media focus andpublic affairs campaign to encourageseat belt use.

3. Police and reporters began includinginformation on whether the victims incar accidents were wearing seat belts.

4. Children were taught about it inschool and other public venues, andwere “encouraged” to nag theirparents into buckling up.

5. Eventually, more stringent laws cameinto effect that pushed some of themore resistant folks into compliance.

Remember when only lap belts wereavailable and you had to install themyourself? Remember when shoulder beltsfirst became available, which meant nowyou had to buckle TWO belts instead ofone? Remember when car manufacturershad to practically put them on for you asthe car door closed? Seat belts have comea long way.

Similarly, PFDs have been available formany years, and they have done their jobwell keeping boaters afloat in anemergency; that is, if the boaters couldreach them in time! The problem wasnobody actually wore them because theywere hot and uncomfortable.

But today’s more “high-tech” jackets areeasier and more comfortable to wear thanever before. PFDs are now available thatare so lightweight and non-binding, youcan forget you have them on. Some are sostylish or inconspicuous that no onewould ever guess they are life jackets. Ifwe are to get people into life jackets, weneed to offer them something they willwear. And today’s life jackets arecomfortable enough for anyone to wear.

It took huge media campaigns, costingenormous amounts of money and energy,by several agencies and organizations andby car manufacturers themselves to finallyget the majority of Americans to wear seat belts.

Similarly, Operation BoatSmart isprimarily a public affairs and educationcampaign. A key strategy is to encourageall of the partners to take informationabout the latest technologies in PFDs tothe boating public at every opportunity toshow there are great PFDs they can wear.Information is crucial here. Most boatersdon’t know these jackets exist; we need topublicize them!

By CDR Kim Pickens, U. S. Coast Guard, Operation BoatSmart Project Officer

“Boat smart from the start — wear your life jacket.”“It’s your life — wear the jacket.”

“Wear your jacket — the life you save may be your own.”

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At times, good news moves at a snail'space. After several years of challengingwork by manufacturers and the U.S. CoastGuard Office of Boating Safety, we nowhave approved inflatable personalflotation devices (PFDs), or life jackets asthey’re commonly known.

For folks who must wear PFDs while theywork, including many law enforcementofficers, inflatable PFDs provide safetywith a degree of comfort. Now, whensummer temperatures and humidity arehigh, it is possible to wear a PFD withoutfeeling like you’re wearing a thermal jacket.

But how will these innovative devices farewith the boating public?

As is often the case with innovations,inflatable PFDs create some issues thatmust be addressed by potential users.

Inflatables come in several forms andtypes. The manual inflatable is often ratedas a Type III PFD but must be activatedwith a lanyard or ripcord. Themanual/automatic is generally rated as aType V, with Type II or III performancewhen worn. In addition other modelshave appeared on the market.

Compared to the five-dollar and up foamvests, inflatables are expensive.

Further, inflatablesrequire maintenance.Whether manual ormanual/automatic,inflatables requirecareful attention tom a i n t e n a n c e .Inflatables should beinspected regularly toverify that the carbondioxide cartridges arein place and themanual activationsystem is inworking order.For those veststhat also have theautomatic inflationfeature, the watersensitive pill thatcauses the vest toinflate when in thewater should beinspected andperiodically replaced.Since the pills are sensitive to prolongedexposure to humidity or accidentalwetting, the life jacket may deploy at aninopportune time. Exposure to humidity

can cause a gradual degradation of the pillwhich is why periodic replacement is a

good idea. A rearming kit foreach inflatable on a boatshould be stocked onboard.

Currently, inflatables arenot suited for all activities.For example, for those who

water ski, ride PWCs orpartake in other situations thathave "impact" considerations, avest suitable for the activityshould be chosen. For thosewho need a safety harness,some inflatable models havethem built in. If aconventional safety harnessis worn with an inflatable,the harness should be wornunder the inflatable vest in away that the harness will notinterfere with the life jacket.On the other hand, if aninflatable is constrained by a

harness, activation of theinflatable vest could cause injury.

Since further developments in theinflatable life vest category are sure tocome, there will be additional elements of

Those Marvelous Inflatable Life Jackets By Commodore Warren E. McAdams USCGAUX , National Directorate Commodore for Recreational Boating Safety

One of the most innovative and effectivemethods developed to “sell” the public onusing seat belts occurred when policeofficers and reporters were asked toinclude information as to whether caraccident victims were wearing seat belts atthe time of the accident. What a differencethat little change made in a very shortperiod! Even now, don’t most of us lookfor that part of the story that says whethercar occupants were wearing seat belts?

This is something that might work withPFD wear, too. As part of OperationBoatSmart, all Coast Guard public affairsofficers include information in all pressreleases on whether the persons involvedin a boating accident were wearing PFDs.We would like to see state and localagencies adopt this approach. This

strategy could help shape public opinionto associate PFDs and boating the sameway the public now associates seat beltuse and driving.

Another big push to make seat belts moresocially acceptable was throughvarious programs thattargeted children. Manyschools incorporated car safetyprograms into the curriculum,police and fire departmentsdeveloped their own specialprograms, and Mr. Rogers andeveryone on Sesame Streettalked about the need tobuckle up.

What is clear in these efforts,however, is that children werenever taught to distinguish theimportance of their wearing seatbelts from the importance of their parentswearing seat belts. Children were taughtthat EVERYONE needs to buckle up.

Similarly, while Operation BoatSmartbelieves we need to encourage children towear PFDs, we do not distinguishbetween the importance of encouragingchildren to wear PFDs and the importanceof encouraging all boaters to wear PFDs.

We send a clear message that wearingPFDs is important for everyone.

One of the latest moves to get people tobuckle up has been to pass legislation on

the issue. And new state laws havemade a dent on seat belt use, at

least when it comes to havingchildren buckled in. While

Operation BoatSmart doesn’tadvocate federal legislation, itdoes encourage all of theprogram’s partners to assiststate boating lawadministrators who want to

pass laws within their states forincreased PFD wear, mandatoryboater education, licensing andstronger boating under-the-

influence enforcement.

The primary goal of Operation BoatSmartis for all of the program’s partners to pushwith our collective might to bring about acultural change in the recreational boatingcommunity so that, among other things,wearing a life jacket while boating feelsright, natural, responsible – and expected.We believe this is a realistic goal, and webelieve that – together – we can achieve it.

! ! !

“That’s like saying, ‘I’m going

to buckle my seat belt before

the car crashes.’ It just

doesn’t work that way!”

Photo courtesy Stearns ® Manufacturing

Photo courtesyMustang Survival

We need to concentrate on getting thepublic to WANT to wear personal flotationdevices (PFDs). I would like boaters tohave items they want to wear whileboating to act as flotation devices in anemergency. Good examples includehaving specialized equipment, such asfishing vests, hunting vests, and so on,that are actually inflatable PFDs.

To improve the wear rate of PFDs, the U.S.Coast Guard supports the development ofnew and unique PFD designs that willprovide the necessary flotation but mayuse novel means to encourage boaters towear them more often. To this end, theCoast Guard has been conducting severalprojects that promise to provide theflexibility to PFD manufacturers to exploreunique designs:

• We are entering the last phase ofdeveloping a risk-based complianceapproval process for personal flotationdevices using performance models.This will replace the current Life SavingIndex (LSI) used to evaluate new andunique PFD designs. The new approvalprocess will provide a more objectivemethod for making trade-off decisionson design features while maintainingan equivalent level of safety.

• We are creating of a family ofmannequins (male, female and child)to further develop and validate acomputer simulation program. Theprogram will provide a way to test PFDdesigns in virtual wave situations basedon the design parameters of the PFD.This simulation, coupled with the newapproval process, would allow a PFDmanufacturer to beta test a design allthe way through the approval processbased solely on the specificationswithout having to construct a prototype.

The Coast Guard continues to approve anincreasing number of inflatable PFDs.Currently, there are 22 Type III manualinflatables approved, four Type V manualinflatables approved, and 19 Type Vautomatic inflatables approved. Initialperceptions are that inflatable PFDs,because they are much more comfortablethan inherently buoyant PFDs, willincrease the PFD wear rate.

Additionally, the Coast Guard hasapproved the first 1F inflator mechanism

for inflatable PFDs. This device providesan almost-foolproof method for the userof an inflatable PFD to determine if thePFD is properly charged and ready foruse. It will also greatly improve thereliability of inflatable PFDs.

The Coast Guard continues to providefinancial support to the PFD StandardsTechnical Panel (STP) coordinated byUnderwriters Laboratories. The STPcontinues to explore ways to improveboth the performance and the wear rate ofPFDs either through technicalrecommendations or changes to the standards.

! !

The Coast Guard recently said “good-bye”to one of the founding members of theRecreational Boating Safety (RBS)program, Al Marmo. Al realized that therewas more to life than the Coast Guard’sOffice of Boating Safety and decided toretire after a truly amazing 39 1⁄2 years offederal service – 35 years involved withmanaging the RBS program.

Al joined Coast Guard in 1967, after fiveyears in the Department of Commerce. Heplayed a significant role in establishing theRBS program by helping develop theFederal Boat Safety Act of 1971;developing policies and procedures forthe initial State Grant Program; andcoordinating development of policies andprocedures for implementing the BoatingSafety Program. (Editor’s note: For moreinformation on Al Marmo’s role in the RBSprogram, be sure to read the feature onhim in the May/June 2002 issue of SmallCraft Advisory.)

Another of Al’s challenging responsibilitiesand notable accomplishments has beenkeeping tabs on me! I cannot thank himenough for his friendship, guidance andmentoring. The entire boating communityowes this great American much for theunyielding support. The RBS program hasbeen very successful, saving an estimated27,000 since 1971, and Al was animportant part of that success. On behalfof all boaters, thank you, Al, for 39+ yearsof truly outstanding community serviceand getting us to where we are today. Wewish you fair winds and following seas inyour future endeavors!

! ! !

coast guard

COMMENTS


Capt. Scott EvansChief Office of Boating Safety

flexibility and concern to discuss. Forexample, there are inflatable waistbeltPFDs on the market. While not foreveryone, this style of PFD may offeradvantages to some boaters.Undoubtedly there will be otherdevelopments to increase the number ofactivities where inflatables may be worn.

Also under active development areinflatables suitable for children.Currently, inflatables are rated for thoseover the age of 15. (One PFDmanufacturer has developed a hybridfoam/inflatable for children, but theCoast Guard has not yet approved trueinflatable PFDs for use by children underthe age of 16.) After all, if comfort is akey issue for adults, why not make thatadvantage available to younger people?

Where does all of this lead us? Astechnology delivers a broader array ofproducts to the boater, someone mustteach boaters how to choose the properequipment from among the many itemsthat are offered. In our public educationclasses, we not only need to teach legalrequirements but we should also informstudents on how to make the correctchoices in equipment selection. In somecases the answer may be to purchase,and have on board, more than one typeof PFD to meet the requirements ofdifferent on-water activities. In theclassroom setting an inflatable PFDshould be activated. If possible a studentmodel should be fitted with theinflatable PFD and instructed to inflatethe life jacket. Demonstrations such asthis are sure to convince many studentsthat the extra expense of an inflatable is agood investment.

In a similar fashion, discussionsconducted during vessel safety checkscan educate boaters and encouragethem to seek more information on whattypes of equipment are available. Thevessel examiner, by observing the typesof recreational equipment (toys) onboard, can engage the boat owner in adiscussion of what types of PFDs may ormay not be better utilized for differenttypes of activities. In addition, whereappropriate, the boater can beencouraged to sign up for a boatingsafety course for more in-depthinformation on PFDs and other safetyequipment.

As should be the case, better safetyequipment can lead to safer boating andmore enjoyable boating. Part of our jobis to sell the advantages of betterequipment and offer instruction how toproperly use the equipment.

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...continued from page 13

2002 RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY CALENDARMARCH11 - 15NASBLANational Comprehensive Boating Accident Investigators Level One TrainingLas Vegas, Nevada859.225.9487

25 - 29NASBLANational Comprehensive BoatingAccident Investigators’Level One TrainingFt. Mitchell, Kentucky (Greater Cincinnati area)859.225.9487

MAY13 - 17NASBLANational Boating AccidentInvestigators’Advanced TrainingLexington, Kentucky859.225.9487

15 - 19U.S. Power SquadronsGoverning Board MeetingHouston, Texas888.361.8777

18 - 24National Safe Boating WeekNationwide740.666.3009

JUNE1 - 6Southern States Boating Law Administrators AssociationAnnual ConferenceKnoxville, Tennessee615.781.6682

15 - 18Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers AssociationAnnual ConferenceSt. Pete Beach, Florida312-946-6200

23 - 26Northern Association of Boating AdministratorsAnnual ConferenceOmaha, Nebraska515.281.6154402.471.5579

JULYNo scheduled dates

AUGUST29 - September 1U.S. Coast Guard AuxiliaryNational Conference Orlando, Florida940.321.2395

SEPTEMBER 7 - 11NASBLAAnnual ConferenceCleveland, Ohio859.225.9487

11 - 15U.S. Power SquadronsGoverning Board MeetingDes Moines, Iowa888.361.8777

30 - October 4NASBLANational Boating AccidentInvestigators’ Advanced TrainingLexington, Kentucky859.225.9487

OCTOBER26 - 29National Boating SafetyAdvisory Council MeetingTBA202.267.0950

11 - 15U.S. Power SquadronsGoverning Board MeetingDes Moines, Iowa888.361.8777

APRIL 15 - 17NASBLA Committee MeetingsBoats & Associated Equipment (April 15)BAIRAC (April 16)Law Enforcement (April 17)Del Mar, California859.225.9487

16 & 17NASBLA Committee MeetingsBAIRAC (April 16)Law Enforcement (April 17)Del Mar, California859.225.9487

18 - 19Western States Boating Administrators AssociationAnnual ConferenceDel Mar, California859.225.9487

20 - 23National Boating Safety AdvisoryCouncil MeetingBaltimore, Maryland202.267.0950

22 - 26NASBLANational Comprehensive BoatingAccident Investigators’Level One TrainingSpringfield, Massachusetts859.225.9487

26 - 27NASBLA Committee MeetingsWaterways Management (April 26)Education (April 27)Daytona Beach, Florida859.225.9487

28 – May 1International Boating & Water Safety SummitDaytona Beach, Florida740.666.3009

1500 Leestown Road, Suite 330Lexington KY 40511

Change Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DLEXINGTON, KYPERMIT NO. 850

APRIL Annual EMS Conference in Alaska Spotlights Cold Emergencies

This year, the Southeast RegionEmergency Medical Services (EMS)Council is being joined by the AlaskaMarine Safety Education Association(AMSEA) and the State of AlaskaSection of Community Health and EMSin co-sponsoring the council’s annualconference in Sitka, Alaska. Scheduledfor April 10-13, 2002, this year’ssymposium focuses on cold emergencies.

Scheduled speakers include Dr.Nemiroff and representatives from theHarborview Injury Prevention Program,National Ski Patrol, University ofWashington, U.S. Army, University ofLancaster and AMSEA.

The symposium will consist of threetracks – search-and-rescue (SAR),clinical and pre-hospital – as well asgeneral sessions covering altitude andcold, rescues, avalanches, cold weatherdecontamination (relating to biologicalcontamination), hypothermia and more.

For more information, contact Sarah atthe Southeast Region EMS office at907.747.8005.

NASBLA welcomes information about boating-related conferencesthat would appeal to a national audience. Please e-mail information [email protected].

Promoting the Use of Life Jackets New PFD Label in the Works

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