Saturday, October 10, 2009
Officials enforce boat safety rules Columbus Day weekend
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- Columbus Day weekend begins and the Coast Guard is working hard to make sure everyone is safe on the water.
Columbus Day weekend has taken tragic turns for boaters in the past. The combination of speed, alcohol and carelessness has pushed authorities to come together to enforce boating laws this holiday weekend. "It's a group of laws that we're going to be enforcing, but we want the boating community to help us," said Jorge Pino of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. "We can't do it by ourselves."
Authorities are expected to have boating regulations in place this weekend. Twenty knots is the maximum speed allowed and no more than five vessels can raft together. "I think for the most part, everyone wants to do what's right. It's just that they get caught up in the moment and maybe have a little too much alcohol, and the rules kind of go out the window," said Miami Beach Coast Guard Lieutenant John Corbett. "It just takes us to nudge them in the right direction."
Last year, authorities responded to 52 alarm calls, one boat fire and eight boats that sank. These are the types of incidents authorities said they want to avoid. "We're going to have zero tolerance. We're going to be out there trying to make sure the people abide by all the rules and regulations," said Pino. "We've set forth certain rules that cannot be broken."
With forecasters predicting good weather, Coast Guard officials are bracing for a massive turnout this Columbus Day. Authorities said with a weekend like this one, they're hoping for the best, but they'll be prepared for the worst. "Speed is always a factor in some of these accidents that have caused deaths, so we're going to be out there looking for the people who are speeding, drinking and boating," Pino said.
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