U.S. Coast Guard launches safety campaign in response to uptick in water recreation deaths

The U.S. Coast Guard is launching a new safety campaign called “Be Safe, Be Seen.” It comes in response to an increase in deaths among those who are out on the water, participating in what should be safe and fun recreational activities.

‘Be safe’ by understanding the ins and outs of paddling before getting in the water, and ‘be seen’ by knowing how to interact with other boaters on the water. That’s the message the U.S. Coast Guard is spreading up and down the state before the big summertime influx of people hitting the waves.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there’s been an increase in accidents and tragedies on the water, as paddle boarding and kayaking have become more popular over the past year or two. In 2016 there were 300 fatalities on the water in either a canoe, kayak or paddle board.

“It seems very simple. When you just see someone out on the water, it looks like a beautiful day in the sun, but it actually can be physically taxing and it’s important to know what you get yourself into,” said U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist, Sarah Wilson.

“We’re seeing a lot more people than equipment and a lot more people than knowledge. So they’re coming out here without proper knowledge and proper equipment and they say it looks easy,” said U.S. Coast Guard Ian Bamford.

The Coast Guard said one of the key pieces of equipment to invest in is a VHF marine radio, so if you get in trouble you can call for help on channel 16. Also, they recommend you have your information attached to the equipment in case your kayak or paddle board gets away from you. The reason why is if the U.S. Coast Guard finds an adrift kayak, then they have to treat it like a search and rescue operation, which is a waste of man hours if you’re actually safe.