Coast Guard reminds beachgoers about water safety after rescuing 4 fishermen from capsized boat
Potentially lifesaving lessons are being learned from the dramatic rescue of four fishermen pulled from the ocean off Belmar on Sunday after their boat capsized.
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Potentially lifesaving lessons are being learned from the dramatic rescue of four fishermen pulled from the ocean off Belmar on Sunday after their boat capsized.
The United States Coast Guard is reminding everyone about the importance of water safety as the summer gets underway. One tip is something as simple as wearing a lifejacket while on a boat.
“Wear a lifejacket, and not just any lifejacket. Bring the proper one if you are going to go on a boat in salt water,” says U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Stephen Gillooly. “Don’t bring the floaties you use in the backyard.”
Gillooly says it doesn’t matter how good of a swimmer one may think they are. Always have a life vest on.
RELATED: Caught on camera: 4 rescued from capsized boat in Belmar
He also says that the water temperature will also play a factor.
“This time of the year the water is a little more dangerous than what you might think. The water is still pretty cold. When the water is in the 60s it pulls heat out of your body 20 times faster than the air does,” Gillooly says. “Especially if you are unexpectedly going into the water, you are scarred, you’re cold, your hands don’t work as well as you hope it would.”
This is what one of the fishermen said prevented him from swimming after the capsized. He says that the water was too cold.
Gillooly also says that it is important to take a boating class.
“It is required in the state of New Jersey, and it is called the Boating Safety Certificate,” he says.
The class is eight hours long and teaches all one needs to know to be safe on the water.
