Investigation: LIFEJACKETS ARE "LAST FRONTIER" (English)

Boston, MA

Enquête: sécurité maritime

Description: During the 2 weeks at BU-NECIR summer camp, StoryLabs were the "hands-on" part of the course. My group was concerned by Environment, and in particular Boating Safety. We decided to focus on drownings...

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LIFEJACKETS ARE "LAST FRONTIER"

Forty-five people  drowned in Massachusetts in the last four years, which represents 81 percent of all maritime deaths, according to Boating Safety Resource Center data. The 19 percent remaining deaths were from   multiples causes. 80% of these deaths by drowning occurred without a lifejackets being worn. 

"This may be caused by lacking security training," Boston Waterboat Marina owner Larry Cannon said, as "crewmembers aren't even supposed to know how to swim by Massachusetts law".

Indeed, Mass law doesn’t mention any type of training for boat operators  of age 18 or older, unless they are commercial captains, who need a Coast Guard approved license. “Even a 17-year old could just hop onto a boat with an 18-year old friend and drive it!” said Cannon.

To prevent boaters from drowning, many associations, clubs, and government institutions have been rallying for years. “Be smart from the start”, said the Coast Guard in a 2007 educational campaign. Nonetheless, no law obliges boaters to wear lifejackets in Mass, unless they are under 12, kayaking, or riding a Personal WaterCraft (PWC). Instead, it stipulates that there must be enough lifejackets for everyone on board, but that they must  only be stored in a quickly-accessible place.

So wearing a vest is  a personal choice. “People usually think that lifejackets are hot, bulky, and not fashionable” said  John Girvalakis, Sergeant Detective at the Recreation Vehicle Bureau of the Massachusetts Environmental Police. “Manufacturers have come a long way, making lifejackets small, adjustable and designed to be worn all the time.” he said.

Indeed, five different lifejacket types are approved by the coastguard. “Type I is the more bulky and hot one, but it will turn you face up, thus preventing drowning”, Givalakis explained. “It must be used in high seas and for commercial or racing use. Types II or III are more adapted for recreational boating”.

“If the coastguard decides to check your boat and they find out that you don’t have enough lifejackets onboard, they will fine you $50 and escort you back to port” said sergeant Givalakis.

Lifejackets prices range from $15 (for the usually cheap, not coastguard approved lifejackets) to $80 (for the safer and more comfortable ones) on the internet, but usually cost around the $50 mark, just as much as the fine. “It is kind of light”, comments Joe Guidice, 28. The commercial captain always stores 12 child-sized and … adult-sized type III lifejackets onboard. “We always give a security briefing before departing” he said. “As a captain, my company obligates me to wear a lifejacket at all times… But logistically, it would be too time consuming to make every passenger put on a lifejacket at the beginning”.  “It is common sense to wear one while sailing (or during any other recreational activity). Once you’re over a certain age you can make that decision for yourself” he said.

“I can swim” argues Rita Hemenway, 50. She owns a 34-foot whaler, in which she often cruises with her husband and children. “We make them wear a lifejacket at all times” she said.

It’s the same for Mark Powell, 49. “I’m a good swimmer, lifejackets would only hinder my movements”, he said. “I’ve been in and out more than a hundred times, and never had any accident” Powell said. “If the weather’s bad or if it’s night, I’ll wear one of the CO2 inflatable ones, as they are more comfortable and less bulky than the regular ones”.

"I think that a law obligating the mandatory wear on lifejackets onboard might be a good idea", the Cannon said, even though "(he doesn't) wear lifejackets while on a boat", he confides.Givalakis would like to emphasize boater’s education. “It would be useful for legislators to look into” he said. “In Massachusetts, we offer free security courses” he explains.

“If law obligated people to wear lifejackets all the time, I believe they would” said captain Guidice. Givalakis thinks it might be more difficult, as he said that “In the end, lifejackets are considered as the last frontier, an extreme”.

Philippe Pernot

For the New England Center of Investigative Reporting.