Thousands of boating accidents happen every year. Some are due to negligence, and others are due to a lack of boating knowledge. Hence, experience is extremely important when driving a boat, and we recommend that you take a boating course before going onboard.
If you love boating with your family, you have probably taken all the precautions to make sure that your loved ones stay safe in case there’s an accident. Let’s say that an accident does happen, but you are not involved. It was a Sunday afternoon, and you had snacks with the family on your boat. You see two boats race past you, and after a few minutes, a loud noise pierces the otherwise quiet air. You look around to see what happened, and lo and behold, the two boats that were competing with each other have crashed.
As an upstanding civilian, it’s your job to help the injured. However, there are some precautions you need to take.
Call the Coast Guard
Before you jump into the water or take any other kind of action to help the people involved in the boat accident, we suggest that you contact the coast guard. This way, if you are not successful in saving the survivors, you can assure them that help is on its way, and they need to hold on.
Assess the Situation
Though you are not involved in the accident, you might get injured while trying to help someone; this will do no one any good. For example, if you smell gas in the air, the boat might burst into flames any minute. The best thing you could do in such a situation is provide the stranded passengers with some life jackets so they can jump from the boat. Always examine the situation first before taking any action.
Help the People in Whatever Way You Can
If you feel it is safe to approach the boat, keep a safe between you and the accident. We don’t recommend diving after a person in the water. They might hold on to you to keep themselves afloat, which can be dangerous for you and them. If you don’t have a spare lifejacket, throw them a lifebuoy and tell them to make their way to you. Make sure to attach a rope to the lifebuoy so that you can reel them in if the boat is about to submerge.
As a Witness, Get the Story Straight
If you witnessed the accident happening, try to piece the story together so that if the survivors decide to press charges on the person responsible for the accident, you will be able to assist them.
Being a rescuer is not an easy job. Don’t try to be the hero if you think your actions will jeopardize you and your family.
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