The National Safe Boating Council

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council magazine by Mr. Virgil Chambers, Executive Director, National Safe Boating Council

The National Safe Boating Council is a coalition of organizations working together to promote safe boating. Membership consists of more than 330 U.S. and Canadian organizations, with approximately 35 percent composed of for-profit organizations and 65 percent non-profit organizations as well as local boat clubs, foundations, and law enforcement agencies.

Outreach
Each year, in partnership with the National Water Safety Congress, the NSBC produces the International Boating and Water Safety Summit, a venue for training professionals and volunteers within the recreational boating safety community.

Additional NSBC member-requested programs include boating safety instructor training and “Boating Safety Sidekicks” for children.

National Safe Boating Week
Each year since 1952, boating safety organizations and advocates across the country organize to promote safe boating. During this National Safe Boating Week (the week before Memorial Day), organizations address topics including alcohol and boating, boater education, and life jacket wear.
The current nationwide "Wear It!" campaign urges recreational boaters to wear life jackets at all times, as it has been estimated this could reduce drowning by as much as 90 percent. A large component of the campaign is educating people about USCG-approved items.

Close-Quarters Boat Control
The NSBC’s newest training program focuses on maneuvers and techniques for enforcement officers and safety patrol boat handlers to operate power boats, using factors like wind and current to assist in boat placement.

Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/fall2010.

Subscribe online at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/subscribe.asp.