Summer is just about here, and so is boating season with local search and rescue teams educating residents how to stay safe on the water.
The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue [RCMSAR] Pender Harbour branch has kicked off their season with sessions aimed at providing lessons on the proper use of PFDs for kids and how to perform safety checks on your vessel.
According to the RCMSAR, the “Kids Don’t Float” program is geared to provide parents with a loaner PFD that will fit their infants, children, and youth [6 to 16 years of age], who don’t own life jackets so families can enjoy a summer day on the water.
They add, making sure your boat is up to par is also a critical component to enjoying the summer season, and a simple safety check to make sure you have enough life jackets, fire extinguishers, and a safety kit can make all the difference.
The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue is a non-profit organization and has more than 30 stations across the coast of BC from Vancouver to the North Coast.
According to the RCMSAR from 2017 to 2023 more than 900 volunteers have put in over 500,000 hours and have assisted close to 10,000 people and saved over 2,700 lives.
