WaterWise team on patrol
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Updated: July 15, 2009 2:22 PM
It’s the time of year when lakes around the Thompson-Okanagan are jam-packed with boats and the folks from WaterWise Boat Safety Team (WWBST) are doing their part to ensure the well-being of those enjoying themselves on the water.
This weekend, the WWBST will be handing out free boat safety kits, life jackets and rescue ropes on both Kalamalka and Wood lakes.
Team members Rachel Hartt, Florence Laserna and Leah Smolar will be promoting safe boating practices by performing on-water visits and courtesy safety checks.
On Monday morning, they’ll be at the downtown Y for a boat safety presentation at 10 a.m.
Eighty-five per cent of people involved in boating accidents are not wearing life jackets, alcohol is involved in 40 per cent of boating fatalities and nine out of 10 drownings occur on inland waters, according to the WWBST.
By raising boat -safety awareness through elementary school assemblies, public speaking and on-water visits the WWBST hope to change those statistics for the better.
As of September 15, pleasure-craft operators born before April 1, 1983, must have obtained their pleasure craft operator competency card by attaining a mark of at least 75 per cent on a Transport Canada accredited test.
A list of course providers is available from the Canadian Government Office of Boating Safety.
Anyone wishing to have the WWBST speak at an event or perform an on-water seminar should log on to waterwiseteam.ca or call 1-778-233-3023.
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