U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Public Affairs
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 11 June 2008
Contact: Anthony Turner
Chief, External Communications Division
310-908-6950
anthony.turner@auxpa.org
http://www.new.auxpa.org/
GIVE GIFTS THAT MAY SAVE A LIFE: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers Father's Day Gift Ideas for Boaters and Those Who Love Them
LOS ANGELES, Calif - With Father's Day just a couple of days away the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers some gift ideas for boaters, including, kayakers and other paddle craft operators and personal watercraft operators to help them stay safe all year long.
One of the best gift ideas for boaters is to sign them up for a safe boating course. Knowledge is power, and it has been statistically shown that boaters who have taken a boating course are far less likely to be involved in a boating accident or fatality. Course topics include basic boat handling, required and recommended safety equipment, navigational rules and dealing with boating emergencies. You can also schedule a free vessel safety check (VSC) with your local Coast Guard Auxiliary unit. A trained and qualified auxiliary member of the Coast Guard will conduct a safety check on your vessel to ensure compliance with federal, state and local safety requirements before getting underway. For more information or to schedule a VSC, visit: http://www.vesselsafetycheck.org/.
Ten other great gift ideas to help keep boaters safe include:
- Sleek, light-weight, and comfortable inflatable lifejackets
- A carbon monoxide detector
- Emergency signaling kits -- flares, signal mirror, whistle, etc.
- Kill switch leash -- kills the engine if the boater falls overboard
- Up-to-date navigational charts and/or a handheld GPS unit
- Navigation tools and calculators
- Hand-held VHF marine radio with extra batteries
- Personal emergency position indicating radio beacons(PEPIRBs)
- Tool kit and spare parts for boats
- Personal protective Equipment (PPE), such as a First Aid kit, sun screen, sunglasses, food and water.
The price range for these items is from under ten dollars, up to several hundred dollars, but giving the gift of safety is priceless. These are recommended gift ideas that will help save lives and reduce accidents on America's waterways.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the United States Coast Guard. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.
For more information on the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, visit us at http://www.cgaux.org.
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