A NEW campaign from Maritime Safety Victoria (MSV) is advising boaters and paddlers that they have a far better chance of rescue in an emergency if they arrange a trigger time for someone on land to call 000.<\/p>\n
MSV acting director Cameron Toy said one of the greatest risks to boaters was ending up in the water and being unable to call for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this situation, you are relying on someone on land to report you missing \u2013 but we often see cases where the person on land is hesitant to call 000, and they wait until it is nearly dark.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis makes it much more difficult to carry out a successful rescue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boaters should establish a clear emergency plan with a buddy on land, sharing the full details of their trip, including details of their boat or kayak, and agreeing on a time to call emergency services if they haven\u2019t returned and can\u2019t be reached.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is so important to set this trigger time, because if you are in trouble, the sooner the alarm is raised, the sooner a marine search and rescue unit can come to your assistance,\u201d Mr Toy said.<\/p>\n
MSV last week launched a campaign in partnership with Emergency Management Victoria to remind all boaters to \u201cLock in a buddy plan\u201d.<\/p>\n
Victorian boater Josh was on a fishing trip when he says he suddenly found himself upside down in the water.<\/p>\n
He tried to swim after the boat but, with all of his clothes on, the drag in the water was too much and he couldn\u2019t catch it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grabbed my lifejacket and swam for what seemed like forever,\u201d Josh said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife knew I was going fishing \u2013 that\u2019s about it. She was eight months pregnant at the time, and I guess I\u2019m lucky that I got to meet my son.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased on my experience, my advice is: always tell someone your plans.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLock in a buddy plan\u201d is the latest in a series of safety messages in MSV\u2019s new boating safety campaign \u201cPrepare to survive: Know the five\u201d.<\/p>\n
Watch Josh tell his story and get more advice from EMV and MSV at msv.vic.gov.au\/prepare\/buddy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A NEW campaign from Maritime Safety Victoria (MSV) is advising boaters and paddlers that they have a far better chance of rescue in an emergency if they arrange a trigger time for someone on land to call 000. MSV acting director Cameron Toy said one of the greatest risks to boaters was ending up in […]<\/p>\n