Local kids caught wearing life jackets.

June 23, 2008 – US Coast Guard Auxiliary 63, Poquoson, VA recently received a grant from The National Water Safety Congress.  The grant allowed the flotilla to provide T-shirts that were printed with “I got caught wearing my life jacket by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 63". 

Flotilla 63 is distributing the shirts to life jacket-wearing children on boats while offering packets with safety information to their parents.  The program has become quite a hit with the kids.

Many adults believe themselves capable of diving into the water to rescue a child who falls overboard.  “This is a dangerous misconception,” say many safety officials.

Adults may not notice a child falling overboard right away.  Children who fall in may not surface immediately.  It can be difficult to locate a child in the water-especially when the vessel is in motion.

Life jackets could prevent approximately two-thirds of all boating-related drowning of children ages 14 and under.  In fact many states’ laws require children under a specific age must wear life jackets.  Unfortunately, drowning causes 80% of all fatal boating accidents and 90% of those cases are the result of not wearing a life jacket.

Waterway safety is one of Flotilla 63’s many services to the Poquoson community.  They encourage all boaters, new and experienced, to take one of many boating safety classes.  The Flotilla offers classes from the minimum required by Virginia law, through advanced navigation.  The Flotilla also offers free vessel safety checks. 

Flotilla 63 is always looking for new members.  They have a very active recruiting officer, Auxiliarist Jim Powell, and they use modern technology with an attractive website http://a0540603.uscgaux.info/.

wml