National Safe Boating Week Kicks off May 16th in West Ocean City Maryland

Ocean City MD: On May 16th from 9:00 -1100 AM members of the United States Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Maryland Natural Resources Police will kick off National Safe Boating Week (NSBW) at the West Ocean City Boat Ramp at the foot of the commercial channel. Mayor Richard Meehan will present a Proclamation that states:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Richard W. Meehan, Mayor of the Town of Ocean City, Maryland, do hereby support the goals of the North American Safe Boating Campaign and proclaim May 16 – 22, 2015 as NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK in Ocean City and the start of the year-round effort to promote safe boating. I urge all those who boat to take boating safety courses, get a free vessel safety check, always wear a life jacket and practice safe boating habits.

National Safe Boating Week serves as a reminder to the recreation boating community to always boat responsibly and always wear your life jacket.

Also in attendance will be Maryland Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, Maryland State Senator Jim Mathias, Worcester County and a representative from US Congressman Andy Harris’ office. The dignitaries will arrive from Coast Guard Station Ocean City to the West Ocean City Boat Ramp aboard a 47’ Motor Life Boat (MLB). The 47’ MLB is one the primary Search and Rescue (SAR) vessels stationed in Ocean City. After the brief comments by the dignitaries, the 47’ MLB will be available for public tours.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary will also be performing free courtesy Vessel Safety Inspections and providing safe boating tips at the ramp every Saturday and Sunday morning throughout the recreational boating season.

The theme of this year NSBW is “Take the Pledge”

Take the pledge

Make this summer safe.

I pledge to boat safely each and every time I go out on the water, keeping myself, my family, my friends and fellow boaters from harm's way. I will always boat responsibly by:

Wearing my life jacket and ensuring that everyone on board wears their life jacket when in a small boat or when operating in rough water or threatening weather conditions

As designated driver I will remaining sober and alert remembering that the use of alcohol contributes to accidents on the water

Staying in control of my craft and respecting the rights and safety of others enjoying the waterways

Knowing and obeying navigation rules, operating at a safe speed and maintaining a proper lookout

And I will heed the USCG motto to be “Semper Paratus” – ‘always prepared’

Ocean City MD - Member of the United States Coasted Guard return with a disabled 24-foot pleasure boat that was stranded 50 miles of the coast of Ocean City MD. The Coast Guard received a radio message from the disabled boat and thru the Rescue 21 radio system we able to establish a Line of Position (LOP) to help them locate and return the vessel safely to port.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all it’s service missions. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939.