By Harriet Howard, DVC-AC

National Safe Boating Week is on the horizon, May 16-22. Public
Affairs Officers, are you ready for the annual celebration of safe
boating? Did you reserve a site for your PA exhibit- a marina, a
mall, a Bass Pro Shop or a West Marine store, for example. Vessel
Examiners, where will you conduct your VSCs- at the marina, at a
retail store’s parking lot, at a waterfront park? Do you have a team
in place to work with you? NSBW is a team effort.

Did you order your boating safety materials to meet the boating public’s needs? Did you make use of the North American Safe Boating Campaign’s website for safe boating pamphlets for the adults and “WEAR IT! posters, decals and stickers for the kids? (All free items from www.safeboatingcampaign.com)

Have you contacted the media to let them know of your event, such as your local newspaper,cable TV station, radio station? Did you post your event on the Campaign website? Have you arranged with your local or state VIP’s for your flotilla to receive a National Safe
Boating Week Proclamation? (A sample proclamation is on the above website for your use.)

The theme for this year’s event continues to be “WEAR IT! “ because life jackets save lives. NSBW is also the time to remind the boating public to take a boating safety class, get a vessel safety check and operate their boats safely and soberly