New life preservers law

[Jim Sr]

Annapolis, Md. (September 23, 2009) –

Governor Martin O’Malley today announced he will direct the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to draft a bill for the 2010 General Assembly to increase the age at which children are required to wear life preservers. Under the new legislation, any child under the age of 13 would be required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD); the current age is 7. . .

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[hakr100]

Believe it or not, there are many serious boaters who believe that everyone on a boat should be wearing a life jacket.

We had a couple on our boat last year who brought their nine-year-old son. I insisted he wear one of our auto-inflate life jackets while aboard. I don't want a drowned kid on my conscience.

 

[boricuamaximus]

Not too bad. Where I'm from you need to have a life vest if you're in any freshwater body.

This is why Martin is so great. He's always thinking of the children.

 

[joppaj]

I have conflicting opinions on this. I hate being told how to raise my child. I've also been on scene for a boating accident where a 4 year old went overboard and was not wearing a PFD because Dad said he was watching closely. We never did recover the body.

From a strictly economic sense, the USCG and local agencies spent hundreds of manhours looking for that little boy. Assets were tied up that were no longer on routine patrol. I'm sure the cost ran into the tens of thousands of dollars. One $50 life jacket being properly worn would have saved all those hours, all that money and most importantly, a life and a family torn apart.

It is a parent's responsiblity to protect and watch out for thier kids, but this one hits close for me.

 

[BlackBart]

Probably not a horrible idea, perhaps a swim qual for the lil ones?

 

[Teemus]

For me it's like wearing seat belts in my car. You put on a PFD when you're in my boat or you get out of my boat.

I bought one of those automatically inflating numbers and I wear it the whole time I'm on the water. My regular fishing partner also wears one the entire time we are on the water whether we are fishing at Loch Raven in my reservoir rig, or out on the bay in my bass boat.

By the way, in case you didn't know, everyone who is born after, I think it was 1973, MUST attend a boating safety class taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and have in their possession what amounts to a "boating driver's license" when on the water.

 

[Adams74Chevy]

By the way, in case you didn't know, everyone who is born after, I think it was 1973, MUST attend a boating safety class taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and have in their possession what amounts to a "boating driver's license" when on the water.

That's something I keep meaning to get.

 

[Streetgang]

I have conflicting opinions on this. I hate being told how to raise my child. I've also been on scene for a boating accident where a 4 year old went overboard and was not wearing a PFD because Dad said he was watching closely. We never did recover the body.

From a strictly economic sense, the USCG and local agencies spent hundreds of manhours looking for that little boy. Assets were tied up that were no longer on routine patrol. I'm sure the cost ran into the tens of thousands of dollars. One $50 life jacket being properly worn would have saved all those hours, all that money and most importantly, a life and a family torn apart.

It is a parent's responsiblity to protect and watch out for thier kids, but this one hits close for me.

I'm with you on this Joppa. I don't like big brother to tell me how to raise my kids but its smart practice.

For those of you who poo poo PFD's, All Naval Special Warfare personnel MUST by instruction wear a PFD while on the water. That's SEALs, SWCC, and all support. I've seen grown men thrown from a speeding boat and knocked unconsious. Nothing to fool with.

The boating safety course is another mixed thing with me too..
But having spent most of my adult life as a mariner, I've seen some really stupid boaters...
We used to say that all you need to drive a boat is the money to buy one. And I've witnessed my share of dummys.
I think everyone should learn to navigate the waterways safely.

 

[duckslayer]

How would you like to work in a life jacket. I might by it for out boards and go fast boats but on a 40 foot work boat Get REAL. By the way its a revenue generator. GOVERNMENT GET OUT OF MY LIFE AND MY WALLET!!!!!!!!!

 

[Streetgang]

How would you like to work in a life jacket. I might by it for out boards and go fast boats but on a 40 foot work boat Get REAL. By the way its a revenue generator. GOVERNMENT GET OUT OF MY LIFE AND MY WALLET!!!!!!!!!

How does it generate money for the government? All it does is require kids 13 and under to wear a PFD. Hopefully there aren't any 13 and under kids on your 40' workboat.

 

[Tootall]

How does it generate money for the government? All it does is require kids 13 and under to wear a PFD. Hopefully there aren't any 13 and under kids on your 40' workboat.

them kids have those small hands. good for sticking in and greasing the gears n such

 

[Adams74Chevy]

them kids have those small hands. good for sticking in and greasing the gears n such

an' theys don't eat much neither.

 

[Streetgang]

them kids have those small hands. good for sticking in and greasing the gears n such

 

[hakr100]

How would you like to work in a life jacket. I might by it for out boards and go fast boats but on a 40 foot work boat Get REAL. By the way its a revenue generator. GOVERNMENT GET OUT OF MY LIFE AND MY WALLET!!!!!!!!!

i happen to have a pretty strong connection with the industry that services offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The service boats tend to be fairly large, steel, and stable under all but the roughest conditions. No one works on the deck on these boats without a life jacket. Period.

 

[joppaj]

How would you like to work in a life jacket.

5 years in the USCG including a year on a bouy deck abpard CGC Red Birch. I've swung sledge hammers, dragged chains, run an oxy-acetelyne torch, climbed bouys, painted, scraped ice and boiled in the August sun. Did it all while wereing a vest or a Mustang suit and a hardhat. If the bouy deck was set up for operation, you couldn't step outside without one.

I respect you and your concerns. I have the VERY highest respect for everyone that drags thier living out of the water, but I have done it.

 

[smokedog]

Spend any amount of time on the bay or its tributaries you would have to agree with this increase in the age requirement. The water is a dangerous place in itself but factor in the weekend boat traffic with their refreshments in hand and things can go bad quick. I dont think its big brother telling us how to raise our children I think its just good boat safety.

 

[zoostation]

Governor Martin O’Malley today announced he will direct the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to draft a bill for the 2010 General Assembly to increase the age at which children are required to wear life preservers. Under the new legislation, any child under the age of 13 would be required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD); the current age is 7. . .

I know I'm being picky, but don't you think someone writing press releases in the governor's office ought to be able to comprehend their own writing? I believe what they were supposed to say was "under which" age a child must wear a life preserver. What they have written states that they want a law where kids won't have to wear life preservers until they are 13.

 

[HoCoShooter]

I'm surprised how many people are for this law. Your kids would also be safer if they were required to wear full face helmets while in any car and if the government mandated that they are not allowed to learn hunting or shooting until they are 18. This is complete horsecrap. Of COURSE you should have your kids wearing a life jacket but that shouldn't be up to the government to decide.

ps bring back lawn darts.

 

[phillywilly]

Do we really need all the kids to survive child hood? I mean if they cant figure out how to swim what chance to they have of being abel to properly drive drunk when they grow up?

 

[zoostation]

I hate to see the legislature pass a new law for just about anything, given their penchant for grandstanding, breaking things that don't need fixed, and spending money to pass meaningless laws that can't be enforced but get their names some headlines. However given all the drunken and incompetent idiots I've seen out on the water with their kids on board as a captive audience, I really can't find fault with this proposal.