Longboat Key mayor signs safe boating proclamation

Mayor Ken Schneier signed a proclamation Wednesday observing in the town the week of May 21-27 as National Safe Boating Week.

With members of the Longboat Key flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary on hand, along with retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Steve Branham and  Rear Admiral Bill Merlin, Schneier signed the proclamation in Town Hall. 

The document, in part, read: "Modern life jackets deserve a fresh look from today’s boating public (they are more comfortable, more attractive, and more wearable then the styles of years past), and most of those boaters who lose their lives by drowning each year would be alive today had they worn their life jackets."

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increased number of boating sales and activity from 2020 to 2021, which led to a higher number of accidents, injuries and deaths. 

The majority of accidents were due to human error and could have been prevented with formal boater training and life jackets. The Coast Guard found drowning to be the leading cause of death in boating accidents, and 86% of drowning victims were not wearing life jackets. 

The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers an eight-hour training called Boat America. The class is held every fourth Saturday of the month at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.