Rye Police, Fire Offer Boating, Water Safety Tips

RYE, NH — Police Chief Kevin Walsh and Fire Chief Mark Cotreau wish to share boating and water safety tips with residents and community members.

Throughout the summer, boating and other water-related activities become increasingly popular, especially with longer days and warmer weather.

According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG), approximately 80 percent of boating fatalities could have been prevented if life jackets had been worn.

The Rye Police and Fire Departments would like to share the following water safety tips for paddlers, recreational boaters, and those using personal watercraft courtesy of the American Canoe Association and the USCG:

Boating/Kayaking/Canoeing

• Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating or fishing, even if you don’t intend to enter the water.
• Children under the age of 12 must always wear a life jacket in a public body of water.
• Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, moving water, surf, or current. Keep the craft under control. Do not enter a rapid unless you are reasonably sure you can navigate it or swim the entire rapid in case you capsize.
• Keep a lookout for hazards and avoid them. Watch for fog, especially on coastal waters.
• Group members need to constantly assess the behavior of others in their group.
• Never drink alcohol while operating a vessel.
• Take a boating safety course and ensure you are comfortable using your vessel.
• Drive at the appropriate speed and follow navigation rules. Do not speed.
• Always proceed with caution. Operating a boat is a serious responsibility.
• The USCG Auxiliary offers free boat inspections to ensure the proper safety gear is on board and available.
• Use caution around flowing waterways; remember that water levels on rivers and streams may rise suddenly.
• Canoe or kayak in familiar areas to avoid getting lost.
• Do not go boating after dusk.
• Always alert your family, friends, or someone when taking a boat or watercraft out.
• Consider placing your name and contact information inside your vessel. Occasionally kayaks, boards, and canoes are found floating on our waterways with nobody aboard. If there is a name and contact number on the vessel, we can contact the owner and quickly ascertain that no emergency exists.
• Keep phones and valuables in waterproof bags or containers.
• In the event of an emergency call 911.

Swimming

According to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), drowning is the single leading cause of death in children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in children up to age 14. Rye Police and Fire would like to share the following safety tips from the American Red Cross:

• Children under the age of 12 must always wear a life jacket in a public body of water.
• Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, moving water, surf, or current. Some local pools may offer swim lessons for children.
• Never leave children unattended while they are near or in a body of water, and make sure they have an adult to accompany them into the water. Young or inexperienced swimmers should always wear a life jacket or inflatable arm floats.
• Never swim alone; swim with lifeguards and/or water watchers present. Even if lifeguards are present, you (or another responsible adult) should stay with your children.
• Don’t use alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications) before or during swimming/diving, or while supervising swimmers.
• Take a CPR course for adults and children to be prepared if an emergency occurs. Update these skills regularly.
• Understand and adjust for the unique risks of the water environment you are in, such as river currents, underwater hazards including vegetation and animals, and more.
• Adhere to all posted warning signs and flags while swimming or boating. This includes weather alerts.
• Recognize the signs of someone in trouble and shout for help. A swimmer needs immediate help if they:
  • Are not making forward progress in the water.
  • Are vertical in the water but unable to move or tread water.
  • Are motionless and face down in the water.
• If someone is drowning or experiencing an emergency in the water:
  • Rescue and remove the person from the water (without putting yourself in danger).
  • Ask someone to call emergency medical services (EMS). If alone, give 2 minutes of care, then call EMS.
  • Begin CPR.
  • Use an AED if available and transfer care to advanced life support.

Rye Police and Fire would like to remind everyone to stay vigilant while boating and swimming this summer.

Submitted by the Rye police and fire departments.