May 19, 2023

Have a safe boating season with this checklist from OPP

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is reminding boaters that a safe boating season comes down to a simple, yet important checklist before and during a boat outing.

Wear your lifejacket

Only 11 of the 130 boaters/paddlers who have died on OPP-patrolled waterways in the last five years were wearing a lifejacket. With capsized vessels and falling overboard the leading causes of boating fatalities every year, the life-saving value of wearing a lifejacket cannot be overstated.

Boat sober and drug-free

Whether you are a power boater or paddler, alcohol and drug consumption have no place on the water. Every year, impaired operation of a vessel is a contributing factor in boating deaths.

Plan and be prepared

Ensure you and your vessel are up for the type of water adventure you're planning. Always check the weather forecast, make sure your vessel is in good working condition, have sufficient fuel, a fully charged cell phone and always ensure someone knows when and where you are going, and when you expect to be back.

Be cold water safe

With many of Ontario's waterways very cold year round, even the best swimmers will feel the effects of sudden cold-water immersion. Familiarizing yourself with the 1-10-1-principle will help you understand how ending up in cold water can severely impact your ability to swim or even stay afloat. It will also remind you that your best chance of surviving an incident that lands you in the water is to wear your lifejacket!

With Safe Boating Awareness Week kicking off this weekend, the OPP and its Marine Program members will be promoting safety on the water in partnership with the Canadian Safe Boating Council and other marine safety partners.

QUICK FACTS

• The 29 people who lost their lives in OPP-investigated marine incidents in 2022 were made up of 18 boat operators, seven passengers and four people in the water. Only two of the deceased were wearing a lifejacket.
• The OPP Marine Program has a fleet of 134 vessels and approximately 400 highly trained marine officers committed to enforcing boating laws and the safety of Ontario boaters on more than 110,000 square kilometres (95 per cent) of Ontario's lakes and rivers.
• Safe Boating Awareness Week runs from May 20 to 26, 2023.

 

---

At South Grey News, we endeavour to bring you truthful and factual, up-to-date local community news in a quick and easy-to-digest format that’s free of political bias. We believe this service is more important today than ever before, as social media has given rise to misinformation, largely unchecked by big corporations who put profits ahead of their responsibilities.

South Grey News does not have the resources of a big corporation. We are a small, locally owned-and-operated organization. Research, analysis and physical attendance at public meetings and community events requires considerable effort. But contributions from readers and advertisers, however big or small, go a long way to helping us deliver positive, open and honest journalism for this community.

Please consider supporting South Grey News with a donation in lieu of a subscription fee and let us know that our efforts are appreciated. Thank you.