Sarasota PD, other agencies promote boating safety

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - Sarasota Police and several other agencies teamed up Saturday morning in an effort to keep boaters safe on the water this Memorial Day weekend.

They set up an Interagency Boating Safety Inspection Day at Centennial Park from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., checking boaters' equipment and making sure they are prepared for the summer season.

"According to the United States Coast Guard, each year, hundreds of lives are lost, thousands are injured and millions of dollars in property damage happens because of preventable recreational boating accidents on our waterways. The Sarasota Police Department wants to make sure everyone has a safe boating season," said Sergeant Bruce King.

Families enjoying the Memorial Day weekend may head out for a day on a boat that has seen very little use during the winter.  In the excitement of the holiday weekend, safety equipment checks are often overlooked.  Families may later find themselves without the necessary equipment in an emergency or be upset when they are cited for violations for local law enforcement.

The Sarasota Police Department Marine Patrol Unit created a safety PSA to help boaters who couldn't attend the inspection, which can be viewed on Sarasota PD's YouTube page.