Latest news with #lifejackets
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Game wardens urge safety as boating season begins
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — With boating season beginning at lakes and rivers across the Lone Star State, San Angelo's game wardens are urging boaters to exercise caution and take proper safety measures before they leave the shore in their wake. Game Warden David Hopkins said that among the most frustrating things wardens can encounter when patrolling the waters are children who are not outfitted with life jackets. 'What's frustrating is parents who don't have their kids in life jackets,' Hopkins said. He shared that Lake Nasworthy has had several boat accidents and deaths occur over the years that were 'preventable.' Concho River restocked ahead of Memorial Day weekend 'Unfortunately, over the years, Lake Nasworthy has had its share of boat accidents and fatalities, and most of those were preventable,' Hopkins said. 'So it breaks your heart when you see something that could've been prevented altogether just by simply wearing a life jacket.' Hopkins said wardens encourage those planning to enjoy the Concho Valley's water bodies during Memorial Day weekend to put on life jackets. 'It's what we ask, that you wear a life jacket this weekend,' Hopkins said. 'Be safe, be careful, have a good time!' Hopkins also shared that operating a personal watercraft, such as a jet ski, at night is illegal under Texas law. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's 2024 recreational boating incidents statistics report, 169 incidents, 78 injury incidents and 20 fatal incidents were recorded between Jan. 1., 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Officials remind Pittsburghers of boating safety ahead of Memorial Day weekend
National Safe Boating Week is this week, and just ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, it's the perfect time to remind people about the importance of boating safety. For Michael Hills, boating season is in full swing. As a longtime Pittsburgh boater since 1992, he knows how best to prepare. "I started boating when boating in Pittsburgh wasn't cool," said Hills. The boat he's on has a map showing the depth in the river, a fire extinguisher, a radio for help in emergencies, and, of course, life vests. "It's about safety. I mean, Pittsburgh has one of the highest boat registrars per capita in the country," he said. "So we have a lot of boaters in a very concentrated area, and there's a lot of concerts and a lot of events and a lot of boats," he added. With his experience, he's now the vice president of the Pittsburgh Safe Boating Council. Hills knows boating can be fun, but it can turn into a deadly disaster if you're not taking precautions. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, three out of every four recreational boating fatalities were due to drowning. Out of those drownings, about 87% of them were not wearing a life vest. "It's preventable," said Hills. "Some basic knowledge and hands-on experience and a sober skipper and life jackets." That's why Hills, the Pittsburgh Safe Boating Council, Pittsburgh's Army Corps of Engineers and others are teaming up for the Safe Boating Campaign to spread the message about wearing your life jacket every time you're on a boat. "Boat responsibly," said Victor Rogers with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's 8th Eastern Region. "Wear your life jacket and reach out to us for education classes or a vessel safety check." The Safe Boating Campaign is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The campaign offers a variety of free and paid resources to support local boating safety education efforts. Learn more at It comes ahead of Memorial Day weekend, and it's the perfect timing with National Safe Boating Week, which is this week through Friday, May 23.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Pool fences and life jackets could save hundreds of lives, CDC estimates
Hundreds of lives could be saved each year by broader use of life jackets and more fences around swimming pools, according to new modeling from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers, in one of the last studies produced by some of the agency's injury prevention experts before they were eliminated by layoffs this year. "These known strategies are already helping to prevent drowning incidents, but there remains a substantial unrealised potential for saving more lives," wrote the authors of the study, which was published this week in the Injury Prevention journal. Researchers aimed to estimate the number of deaths each year caused by two factors: inadequate fencing to prevent young children from wandering into swimming pools and Americans not wearing a life jacket while boating. Out of 4,509 drowning deaths reported in 2022, the CDC's modeling found that 51 likely could have been prevented by better pool fencing, and 297 could have been prevented by victims wearing a life jacket during a boating accident. That adds up to thousands of dollars in medical spending and an economic cost to the country of $4.5 billion, the CDC researchers estimated. "Increased adherence to adequate pool fencing and always wearing a life jacket while boating could avert a substantial number of deaths and enormous economic cost each year in the USA," the authors wrote. The CDC did not respond to a request for an interview about the new study. Researchers behind the study had worked for the agency's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which had been responsible for the federal government's work studying drowning prevention and other leading causes of injury. The CDC's drowning prevention researchers were among the teams that were entirely eliminated at the agency's injury center, multiple officials said, alongside staff responsible for the federal government's rape prevention program, traumatic brain injury research and database on injuries ranging from suicides to accidents. This year's layoffs mean, as one laid-off CDC employee described on the condition of anonymity, that all of the center's "economists, statisticians, and programmers who do the sometimes inglorious grinding technical work needed to inform the public accurately about critical issues related to injuries and violence" will be let go. Only a handful of studies remain in the pipeline from the agency's injury prevention researchers that had been authored before layoff notices were delivered on April 1, the employee said. The center's remaining staff are expected to be among those merged into the new Administration for a Healthy America agency created by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Boat capsizes on Fox River near Elgin, 2 rescued
The Brief A boat overturned on the Fox River north of I-90 Sunday morning. Swift action from Elgin fire crews led to the safe rescue of two people. Fire officials credit life jackets for preventing injuries. CHICAGO - Two people were rescued after a boat capsized in the Fox River near Elgin on Sunday morning. What we know Emergency crews responded around 8:11 a.m. to a call for a water rescue in the Fox River just north of Interstate 90, according to a statement from the Elgin Fire Department. A rescue diver was deployed within two minutes of arriving on the scene, and a rescue boat stationed near the library was on the water heading north less than seven minutes after dispatch, the statement said. Two people wearing personal flotation devices were found clinging to the overturned boat. With help from others on the riverbank, the diver brought both individuals to shore within 10 minutes of entering the water. Neither person required hospital care, officials said. What they're saying Elgin Fire Chief Robert Cagann used the incident to highlight the importance of water safety. He urged anyone canoeing, kayaking or rafting to wear a personal flotation device, as these types of watercraft are prone to capsizing. He also reminded the public that children under 13 are required to wear a life jacket at all times while on the water. The Source Details of this story were provided by the Elgin Fire Department in a press release.
South China Morning Post
08-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong ferry disaster survivor says life jackets locked away before sinking
A survivor of Hong Kong's Lamma Island ferry disaster has told a court inquest that the life jackets were locked away and he was unable to get one by himself before his ferry sank following its collision with another vessel. Advertisement Philip Chiu Ping-chuen, whose sister died in the tragedy, on Thursday became the first witness to provide verbal testimony at the coroner's inquiry into the accident that took place on October 1, 2012. That night, the Lamma Island-bound Sea Smooth, operated by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry, crashed into the Lamma IV, which was taking 124 HK Electric employees and their relatives to see the National Day fireworks in Victoria Harbour. The former was able to continue its journey to Yung Shue Wan Pier, but the Lamma IV sank in less than two minutes, partly due to design flaws, resulting in 39 deaths – the city's worst maritime disaster since 1971. Chiu, a newspaper editor, said he went to get a life jacket after the collision at around 8.22pm, only to find out the safety apparatus closest was locked behind a 'metal frame' that could not be accessed without a crew member. Advertisement The court heard that an HK Electric employee got the key from the crew and unlocked the life jackets about 30 seconds later.
