Safety Equipment‣ Some legally required

‣ Some good to have

Every vessel is required to

carry safety equipment.

Some is legally required

and other equipment is just

as important to have.

Visual Distress Signals

‣ Legally required depending on vessel

‣ Must only be used in an emergency Open

Water

River

Bay

VDS NOTREQUIRED

Less than2 miles

VDSREQUIRED

Pyrotechnic Devices / Flares‣ Alert

‣ Locate

All must be: • USCG Approved

• Good and serviceable Condition

• Right number and Type

• Readily accessible

Visual Distress Signals Hand-held Red Aerial

‣ For boaters who do not travel far from shore

‣ Suitable for both day and night use

‣ Deploy a single or multiple signals about 450 feet into the air with a burn time of up to 7 seconds

Visual Distress Signals Hand-held Red Parachute Flares

‣ Brightest of the family of flares, well suited for boating far from shore

‣ Suitable for both day and night use

‣ Sends a signal over 1000 feet into the sky, descends slowly under a parachute. Burns for 40 seconds

Visual Distress Signals Launchers for Aerial Red Flares

‣ 12 gauge aerial flare system is a perfect add-on or alternative

‣ Reaches a slightly higher altitude than the hand held type

‣ Burn with the same intensity and for the same length of time

Visual Distress Signals Hand-held Red Flares

‣ Use when searchers are nearby

‣ Will provide a bright light

‣ Burns for one to two minutes and has a sighting range in clear weather of over 3 miles

Visual Distress Signals Orange Smoke Hand-held & Floating

‣ For day use only

‣ Either hand held or floating

‣ Designed to help searchers pinpoint your position

‣ Emit a dense cloud of orange smoke for 3 minutes

Flare Tips & Usage Who Requires Flares?

‣ Every powered recreational vessel 16 feet or over

‣ Required to carry 3-day time and 3 night approved flares

‣ Or - 3 flares that are approved for both day and night use

Flare Tips & Usage Choice

‣ Choose which type (or style) Signal flares are best for you

‣ The label on the flares will tell you how long each will be illuminated

Flare Tips & Usage Storage

‣ Store your flares in a cool dry place

‣ In a well labelled watertight container

‣ Should be readily accessible

Flare Tips & Usage Deploying

‣ Use caution! & Never point them into the wind

‣ Deploying hand held or 12 gauge flares, hold at arms length and look away

‣ Hand held red flares drop hot residue when burning, hold at arms over the water

Flare Tips & Usage Replace Every 42 months

‣ Your flares need to be replaced every 42 months

‣ Expiration dates are on the sides of flares

‣ Keep your old ones as spares

Sound Signalling Device

‣ Legally required on larger vessels, over 39.4’

‣ Alert others of your location in poor visibility

‣ Boats under 65.6’, can be a simple whistle or a portable compressed air horn

Distress Flag Good To Have

‣ A passive signal that is good for day use only

‣ Most visible to other boaters when attached and waved on a paddle or boat hook

‣ Can also be placed flat on the deck to alert aircraft

Electric Distress Signals

‣ Electric distress signal is accepted for night use only

‣ Designed to automatically flash the international SOS Distress signal

‣ Approved distress signal if marked that it meets coast guard standards

Fire Extinguishers

‣ Required on boats where a fire hazard can exist

‣ Hazards can include: • engines• fuel system • heating• cooking devices

Less than 26’

26’ to less than 40’

40’ to 65’

1 B-I

2 B-I or 1 B-II

3 B-I or 1 B-II & 1 B-I

0

1 B-I

2 B-I or 1 B-II

VesselLength

No FixedSystem

With ApprovedFixed System

MINIMUM NUMBER OF HAND-PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS REQUIRED

B-I (Type B, Size I)

B-II (Type B, Size II)

Classes

1.75

2.5

Foam(gals)

4

15

CO2

(lbs)

2

10

Dry Chemical(lbs)

FIRE EXTINGUISHER CLASSES

USCG Requirements for Fire Extinguishers are:

‣ USCG Approved

‣ Right Size and Type

‣ Readily Accessible

‣ Good and Serviceable Condition

Fire Extinguishers PASS System

‣ Mount the extinguisher in a readily accessible location

P – pull the pin A – aim the extinguisher S - squeeze S - sweep

SIDE TO SIDESQUEEZE

AIMPULL

1 2

3 4

VHF Radio other safety equipment

‣ A VHF radio can be used to call for help

‣ Channel 16 is the emergency hailing channel only

‣ Alert others to situations like man overboard or fire on board by announcing a call to the USCG

Propelling Device other safety equipment

‣ Paddle or oars to maneuver in close to shore situations

‣ Incase your engine dies

Proper Anchor other safety equipment

‣ Incase you need to wait for help

‣ Should hold your position

Bailing Bucket other safety equipment

‣ Necessary to remove water from your boat

Buoyant Heaving Line other safety equipment

‣ Use to throw to someone in the water to bring them to the boat if they have fallen overboard

Tether Cord other safety equipment

‣ Have a tether cord that attaches to you and an engine cut off switch