Essential Tips for Boaters Ahead of Summer Fun

ZANESVILL,E OH – With the unofficial start of summer on the horizon, boaters are looking to hit the river for some fun.

Before you decide to set sail there are a few things you need to make sure are done beforehand.

John Deblo, a Natural Resource Officer with the Division of Parks & Water Crafts, says the first thing you should check for on your boat is that you have enough life jackets for the amount of people that will be on your boat.

He says to also double check that you have the proper life jackets for different water activities.

“There are different life jackets that are meant for different activities on the water and those life jackets behave in different ways,” Deblo said. “Whether they’re inflatable, inherently-buoyant, if they’re meant to right an incapacitated swimmer, or whether they’re just simply for buoyancy.”

Deblo says to also make sure you have all of your safety equipment that you might need.

He says to bring things like a throwable flotation device, a fire extinguisher if your boat has a gasoline motor, a visible distress signal, as well as a first aid kit and cellphone if you need to call for help.

Deblo says if you find yourself in destress out on the water, to give their office a call and they will be out immediately to assist.

“They can contact our Comm Center at #ODNR from any cellphone,” Deblo says. “That will get you in contact with any Natural Resource Officer or Wild Life Officer in this State, whatever area you might be in. Then of course, in any emergency call 911.”

For more information on boat registration or for courses for your boat license, you can head to the ODNR’s website.