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Office of External Affairs | |
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| Press Release |
Date: Jan. 31, 2007 |
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COAST GUARD EMPHASIZES BOATING SAFETY AWARENESS | |
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LAKE CHARLES, La. -- The Coast Guard has maintained a steadily growing presence in Lake Charles since 1969. Our missions are broad, but fairly recognizable when it comes to commercial shipping, waterfront facilities, and port security. However, one mission that many local residents may be unaware of is the Coast Guard's role in recreational boating safety. The Coast Guard has the sole responsibility for ensuring that Federal boating safety laws and standards are adhered to on any navigable waterway (most of the local waterways used for pleasure boating and fishing; Calcasieu River, Big Lake, Moss Lake, etc). This mission is carried out through random safety checks on the water by trained, qualified, and professional Coast Guard men and women in uniform. It should come as no surprise to anglers and boaters on our waterways to have one of the clearly marked Coast Guard small boat's pull alongside to conduct a random safety check (either on board or from the Coast Guard boat). Some of the items that may be examined are, but are not limited to:
A summary of items a Coast Guard representative may request to examine during one of these checks is available online at http://www.safetyseal.net/ or by contacting the local Marine Safety Unit in Lake Charles at 337-491-7800. To assist the public, volunteer members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron provide vessel safety examinations dockside at no charge. The purpose here is to help the boat owner identify and remedy any problem before taking the boat out on the water.
For more information on obtaining a free vessel safety check, or for questions regarding safe boating, contact the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Lake Charles at 337-437-7263, or U.S. Power Squadron in Lake Charles at 337-474-0730. ### | |
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