National Weather Service Raw Text Product

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DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-
060>062-067>071-201253-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
845 AM EDT MON MAY 19 2014

THIS WEEK IS SAFE BOATING AWARENESS WEEK.  THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME 
BOATING SAFETY MESSAGES THAT CAN HELP ENSURE AN ACCIDENT FREE 
SUMMER. 

...ALCOHOL AND OR DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FOR 
THOSE OPERATING WATERCRAFT...

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CAN BE EVEN MORE HAZARDOUS ON THE WATER THAN 
ON LAND. BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, OR BUI, AFFECTS JUDGMENT, 
VISION, BALANCE AND COORDINATION.  THESE IMPAIRMENTS CAN INCREASE 
THE RISK OF BEING INVOLVED IN A BOATING ACCIDENT - FOR BOTH 
PASSENGERS AND BOAT OPERATORS.  

ALCOHOL IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL 
RECREATIONAL BOATING FATALITIES.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO OPERATE ANY BOAT OR WATERCRAFT WHILE UNDER THE 
INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS.  PENALTIES CAN INCLUDE FINES, 
SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE AND EVEN JAIL 
TIME. 

EVERY BOATER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE RISK OF BOATING UNDER THE 
INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT THE NATIONAL SAFE BOATING COUNCIL ONLINE, AT 
WWW.SAFEBOATINGCOUNCIL.ORG   



                ...THUNDERSTORM SAFETY...

THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE A MARINERS WORST NIGHTMARE.  THEY CAN DEVELOP 
QUICKLY AND CREATE DANGEROUS WIND AND WAVE CONDITIONS.  
THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING SHIFTING AND GUSTY WINDS, LIGHTNING, 
WATERSPOUTS AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH CAN TURN A DAYS PLEASURE 
INTO A NIGHTMARE OF DISTRESS.

THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES FOR LIGHTNING BUT ALL 
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE LIGHTNING.  A LIGHTNING STRIKE TO A VESSEL 
CAN BE CATASTROPHIC, ESPECIALLY IF IT RESULTS IN A FIRE OR LOSS OF 
ELECTRONICS.  IF YOUR BOAT HAS A CABIN,  THEN STAY INSIDE AND AVOID 
TOUCHING METAL OR ELECTRICAL DEVICES.  IF YOUR BOAT DOESN'T HAVE A 
CABIN,  STAY AS LOW AS YOU CAN IN THE BOAT. 

BOATERS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN THUNDERSTORM CONDITIONS EXIST 
AND HAVE A PLAN OF ESCAPE.  MARINERS ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AS AT 
TIMES THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO REACH PORT QUICKLY.  IT IS THEREFORE 
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED YOU DO NOT VENTURE OUT IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE A 
POSSIBILITY. IF YOU DO VENTURE OUT AND RECOGNIZE THUNDERSTORMS ARE 
NEARBY, HEAD TO PORT OR SAFE SHELTER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.  
ULTIMATELY, BOATING SAFETY BEGINS ASHORE WITH PLANNING AND 
TRAINING.  KEEP IN MIND THUNDERSTORMS ARE USUALLY BRIEF SO WAITING 
IT OUT IS BETTER THAN RIDING IT OUT.        



                        ...LIFE JACKETS...

BEFORE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GO OUT ON THE WATERS THIS YEAR, GRAB A 
LIFE JACKET AND WEAR IT!  

NEARLY 85 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DROWN WHILE BOATING WERE NOT WEARING 
A LIFE JACKET. 

WEARING A LIFE JACKET IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND SIMPLE 
LIFE-SAVING STRATEGIES FOR SAFE-RECREATIONAL BOATING.  BOATERS ARE 
REQUIRED TO HAVE A U.S. COAST GUARD-APPROVED LIFE JACKET ON BOARD 
FOR EVERY PASSENGER ON THEIR VESSEL.

TODAY'S LIFE JACKETS ARE AVAILABLE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF 
SHAPES...COLORS AND SIZES. THEY ARE COMFORTABLE, LIGHTWEIGHT AND 
PERFECT FOR ANY BOATING ACTIVITY. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THIS:  REMEMBER TO GRAB A LIFE JACKET 
AND WEAR IT!


                    ...HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS...   

BOATERS SHOULD BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE OF A HURRICANE.  DONT WAIT 
UNTIL A HURRICANE WARNING TO SECURE YOUR BOAT.  BY THE TIME A 
HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED, ITS TOO LATE TO BE WORKING ON A DOCK 
SAFELY.

LISTEN TO WEATHER FORECASTS AND PLAN AHEAD.  HAUL OUT YOUR BOAT OR 
ADD ADDITIONAL LINES DURING A HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCH,  
WHICH IS ISSUED BEFORE A WARNING, USUALLY 48 HOURS BEFORE THE 
ANTICIPATED ONSET OF STORM WINDS. 


ANOTHER GROUP OF SAFE BOATING MESSAGES WILL BE SENT TUESDAY 
MORNING.  THESE ARE PREPARED AND BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PARTNERSHIP 
OF NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL SAFE BOATING 
COUNCIL. 


&&

DRAG