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A Delaware agency wants to make sure those hitting the open seas are safe this summer.

Wednesday, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control  announced eight tips for water enthusiasts to follow.

The department’s Division of Fish and Wildlife joined Smyrna’s Citizens’ Hose Company to highlight recently installed buoyant life rings at DNREC’s Woodland Beach fishing pier and boat ramp.

DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin said that having the familiar circular life preservers close at hand can save a life when someone is in the water and in trouble.

“Some of our fishing piers and boat ramps already have these life rings,” he said. “With the Citizens’ Hose Company and their stalwart member and longtime president, former State Senator Bruce Ennis, we now have these rings available at Woodland Beach.”

Here are the eight critical tips: 

1. Life Jackets for Children: State law requires children aged 12 and younger to wear life jackets while underway. It’s recommended for everyone on board to wear a life jacket. Those over 12 not wearing a life jacket must have one easily accessible and properly fitted on board.
2. Life Jackets for All: Encourage all passengers aged 13 and older to wear life jackets.
3. Slow No Wake Zones: Adhere to “Slow No Wake” areas to prevent accidents and damage.
4. Maintain Vigilance: Keep a watchful eye and maintain a safe distance from other vessels.
5. Navigation Lights: Ensure navigation lights are working during times of low visibility, such as rain and fog, and at night.
6. Safety Equipment: Carry a boating education card and required safety equipment appropriate for your vessel size, including a sound-producing device like a horn or whistle, a fire extinguisher, a Type IV throwable (such as a USCG-approved cushion or ring buoy), and navigation lights.
7. Canoes, Kayaks and Paddle Boards: These vessels require life jackets on board and a whistle or other sound-producing device. A flashlight is also required if operating during times of low visibility and after sunset.
8. Sober Operation: Alcohol use is a leading cause of fatal boating accidents. Always designate a sober operator to helm the boat.

There’s also a required boater safety course for individuals born on or after Jan. 1, 1978. 

The online course reviews navigation rules, boat parts, state boating laws, and required safety equipment. 

Boaters must carry proof of completion, as it serves as a driver’s license on the water.

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.

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