SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — The U.S. Coast Guard of South Portland has a message for boaters this Spring and Summer season- following safety protocols saves lives.
In honor of the start of National Boating Safety Week, the base held its annual Boating Safety Open House on Saturday from 10am-3pm. Community members got to come explore the base and learn important safety tips when their operating or riding on a boat. Coast Guard officers stressed safety measures like wearing a life jacket while on a boat, not drinking alcohol while driving a boat, informing others of your plan before hitting the water, and the proper use of safety flares. Officers say the likelihood is far lower when you boat safely.
"Accidents do happen and they are preventable, some of them," said Lieutenant Junior Grade Stephanie Seigh. "So if people take these extra precautions, they could be saving their own life, or someone else's."
The U.S. Coast Guard of South Portland holds boating safety courses for anyone looking to learn before heading out on the water this summer, as well as a smart phone app to make checking all safety concerns easier.