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Updated 7/29
State
Investigation of Fish Kill in Deep Creek Lake Continues
Evidence to Date Suggests High Temperatures,
Fish Parasite to Blame
The Maryland Department of the Environment and the
Department of Natural Resources continue to investigate
a large fish kill in Deep Creek Lake, Garrett County,
with approximately 500 dead fish reported to date.
MDE and DNR continue to collect and analyze additional
water and fish samples and to analyze historical Deep
Creek Lake data for comparison to existing conditions.
The results of many of the water and fish tissue
analyses will not be available for several weeks.
While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary results
indicate that unprecedented high temperatures in July on
the upper surface of the lake set the stage for an
ongoing parasite protozoan infestation that is affecting
fish gills. The affected fish are primarily cold water
species such as yellow perch, walleye, smallmouth bass
and Northern pike that are adapted to temperatures less
than 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit/23 degrees Celsius.
There is no apparent connection to the July 11, 2010,
sewage spill that occurred in the Northern end of the
lake (at least two miles North of the fish kill).
Dissolved oxygen levels in the surface waters of the
lake remain well above state standards.
No evidence suggests a threat to human health, and the
fish parasite cannot infect people; however, visitors
and residents are advised to avoid touching, eating,
swimming with, or coming into close proximity to any
dead fish. MDE and DNR are consulting with state and
local public health agencies.
Marylanders are urged to report fish kills and algae
blooms at 1-866-MDE-GOTO or 877-224-RBAY.
Updated 7/28
State of the Watershed Forum
to be Held
Friends of Deep Creek Lake will be
hosting a major community forum on the State of the
Watershed on Saturday, August 7 from 9 to 11 am at the
Garrett 8 Cinemas.
Our goal is
to provide to the community an overview of research and
water monitoring which has taken place in the lake and
tributaries so we all have a better understanding of the
conditions of our wonderful watershed.
Dr. Kelsey
from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science will provide the big picture view of the lake
and tributaries drawing from existing research.
Lee Karrh
from DNR will talk about submerged aquatic vegetation
mapping taking place this year.
Tony Allred
from Maryland Department of Environment will be released
the Total Maximum Daily Load report on phosphorous
impairment in the lake.
We will have
an update on the current fish kill from the hard working
MDE and DNR staff on the scene.
This forum
is underwritten in part from a grant from the Chesapeake
Bay Trust and co-sponsored by EcoCheck, NOAA,
Youghiogheny River Watershed Association and the
Appalachian Coal Counrty Watershed Association.
We will
allow plenty of time for questions and answers and
supplemental information will be available.
Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Welcomes New
President Nicole Christian
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is
pleased to announce that Nicole Christian, IOM, CCE has
been selected as its new President and CEO.
Nicole was most recently with the
Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce in
Jupiter, Florida, where she served as President and CEO.
She was responsible for the day-to-day operations and
activities of a 1,000-member Chamber that served 10
municipalities and the unincorporated areas in north
Palm Beach County. She also oversaw the Visitors Center
for the entire North County.
"We are thrilled to have Nicole come
onboard to lead our Chamber,” said Joyce Bishoff,
Interim President of the Garrett County Chamber of
Commerce. “Her experience in tourism and her extensive
background in Chamber work, along with her drive and
passion for the job, make her the ideal person to fill
our Presidency. I look forward to working with her in my
new role at the Chamber.”
“The Chamber put a lot of effort into the
search for our President and we feel that Nicole is
highly qualified for the position. We are looking
forward to her arrival," said Tony Doerr, Chairman of
the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Board.
Prior to her work with Northern Palm
Beach County, Nicole held the position of Senior Vice
President at Iowa Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce in
Davenport, Iowa, where she directed all activities and
programs of the Chamber division including government
affairs, membership, small business council and
networking and events.
She began her Chamber career at Northern Kentucky
Chamber of Commerce in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky where she
served as Director of Business Development and Vice
President of Business Development.
Nicole is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management and
she was awarded Certified Chamber Executive Designation
by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. She
served on the Board of Directors of the American Chamber
of Commerce Executives in 2007 and has served on the
Council on Small Business at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce since 2000.
For more
information about the Garrett County Chamber of
Commerce, please visit
www.garrettchamber.com or call 301.387.4386.
Updated 7/22
State Investigating Ongoing
Fish Kill in Deep Creek Lake
Residents, Visitors Urged to Avoid Contact with
Dead Fish and Report Information
The
Maryland Department of the Environment and the
Department of Natural Resources are investigating what
appears to be a localized, sustained fish kill in Deep
Creek Lake, Garrett County.
At this
time, no evidence suggests a threat to human health;
however, visitors and residents are advised to avoid
touching, swimming with, or coming into close proximity
to any dead fish. MDE and DNR are consulting with state
and local public health agencies.
Local
residents and visitors are urged to contact MDE at
443-482-2732 with reports of dead fish as well as
information about anything out of the ordinary that may
have contributed to the ongoing incident.
The
cause of the fish kill is currently unknown, and a
thorough investigation by MDE and DNR is underway, which
includes water quality testing and a diagnostic analysis
of affected fish species. To date, no evidence of a
toxic or hazardous chemical spill has been found.
Evidenced by the large adult fish species that have been
affected, the focus of the investigation is on the
deeper portions of the lake. At this time, the shallower
waters do not appear to be affected.
To
date, MDE and DNR are reporting approximately 200 dead
fish, including yellow perch, walleye, smallmouth bass,
brown bullhead, largemouth bass, bluegills, chain
pickerel, Northern pike, and crayfish.
Marylanders can report fish kills and algae blooms
anytime at 1-866-MDE-GOTO or 877-224-RBAY.
Updated 7/20
Maryland
Black Bear Lottery Opens August 2
The
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) will begin accepting applications
to participate in this year’s lottery
for black bear hunting permits on
Monday, August 2. Applications issued
will be valid for this year’s black bear
hunting season, which will take place
October 25 through October 30.
“This year’s hunt will
follow the same successful model we’ve
used for the previous bear hunting
seasons,” said Pete Jayne, Associate
Director for Game Management for DNR.
The application process
will follow the Preference Point System
for bear hunting permit applications
that DNR implemented in 2007. Hunters
who apply this year will receive one
entry in the random drawing as well as
one additional entry for each past
consecutive year they have applied.
Therefore, those hunters who applied
unsuccessfully in 2007, 2008 and 2009
will receive four entries in the drawing
when they apply this year. The following
rules also apply:
-
Applicants must apply
each year to retain preference
points. If an applicant skips a
year, all preference points will be
forfeited.
-
Once an applicant is
selected to receive a bear hunting
permit in the random drawing, all
preference points will be forfeited.
-
If an applicant is
selected in the random drawing, but
forfeits the permit, all preference
points will be forfeited.
-
Applicants will have
the opportunity to purchase a
preference point. This will allow
those hunters who cannot hunt in
2010 the opportunity to retain their
preference points for use in future
drawings.
DNR will issue 260 bear
hunting permits with a quota of 65-90
bears and will close the hunt when the
quota is reached. The opportunity to
hunt black bears in Maryland remains
limited to Garrett and Allegany
counties.
Online applications for
the Maryland Black Bear Lottery will be
accepted from 9 a.m. on Monday, August
2, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday,
September 1 at
http://blackbear.dnr.state.md.us.
Phone applications will be accepted at
1-888-579-6768 between 9 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. from Monday, August 23 through
Friday, August 27, 2010 ONLY.
To apply, a $15
nonrefundable application fee must be
submitted via credit card, check, or
money order. All payments must be
received by 12 p.m. on Thursday,
September 2, 2010. Checks and money
orders should be made payable to MDDNR
Black Bear and mailed to MDDNR Black
Bear, P.O. Box 360, Frostburg, MD 21532.
Only one application per
person will be accepted. Duplicate
applications will result in
disqualification and forfeiture of all
fees.
This year applicants will
have the option of voluntarily
contributing to the Black Bear Damage
Reimbursement Fund when they apply for a
permit. Donated funds will be used to
directly reimburse Maryland farmers who
have suffered agricultural damage caused
by black bears. The Black Bear Damage
Reimbursement Fund was established in
1996 and has paid out more than $100,000
in eligible claims to Maryland farmers.
Last year, hunters voluntarily donated
$1,520 to the fund.
For more information,
visit:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/BlackBearGuide.asp.
Updated 7/13
County clears nearly 2,000
pounds of refuse from illegal dumping site
1,940 pounds of
refuse; 1 refrigerator and 13 tires were hauled to the
landfill for disposal and recycling from an illegal dump
site off Mayhew Inn Road this spring. A row of large
boulders was placed along the roadside to deter vehicles
from pulling off and re-using the dump.
In April 2009, Friends of Deep Creek
Lake volunteers conducted water sampling on two sites on
Deep Creek below the hydro-electric dam. This creek runs
along Mayhew Inn Road just east of the intersection with
Sang Run Road. The Friends of Deep Creek Lake
volunteers were re-sampling a site previously tested in
2004. The results from the 2004 sample showed the water
quality to be “very poor”. The waters from Deep Creek
flow directly into the Youghiogheny River just below
Swallow Falls.
Arriving at the site provided an answer
as to why the water quality was poor: there was a
roadside dump which flowed from the road down the hill
and directly into the stream. “It was really disgusting
and clearly had been there for a long time,” said
Barbara Beelar, Director of the Friends of Deep Creek
Lake. “Volunteers found everything from old tires,
microwaves, batteries, and household items to multiple
animal carcasses at the site.” The results for the 2009
sample again showed the water was in “very poor”
condition.
The water sampling was being done as part
of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) program
called Stream Waders. Volunteers are trained to take
samples in streams through the state. They sample for
macro-invertebrates, small aquatic animals that live in
streams. The sampling indicates the water quality in the
stream since only certain “bugs,” such as mayflies, can
survive in clean water where others, like leeches, are
present in poor quality water. The samples are analyzed
by the DNR Lab in Annapolis where a Bethnic Index rating
is given at each site sampled.
The volunteers reported the site to
County officials, including gps coordinates and photos.
The County went into action, notifying
the landowner and assembling a cleanup team using local
prisoners. This team removed trash from the site during
the summer of 2009.
Unfortunately, by mid-fall, the roadside
dump site was again in use. Once more, volunteers for
Friends of Deep Creek Lake reported the dumping to the
County.
In the spring of 2010 another major
clean up was launched by the County. With cooperation
from the Sheriff’s Department and the Garrett County
Roads Department, the area was cleaned and the pull-off
section of the road was closed. This action should
deter future dumping.
“I would like to thank Jeff Friend and
Sergeant Steffan for assistance with scheduling the
inmate crew to help with the manual labor needed and
Officer Fitzwater for supervising the cleanup crew,”
said Kim Madigan, County Recycling Coordinator.
“Special thanks to Jay Moyer for the super Road’s
Department crew that assisted with a dump truck and the
equipment needed to excavate and haul the construction
debris from this site.”
Barbara Beelar with Friends of Deep Creek
Lake was very pleased that the site has been cleaned.
“This is an excellent example of collaboration among
many parts of Garrett County government and the local
watershed group, Friends of Deep Creek Lake. We will
re-sample the water next spring and expect there will be
major improvements. The County's action has restored a
beautiful stream, created a natural barrier and has made
a major difference in providing protection to an
important stream in the County.”
GARRETT COUNTY
ARTIST STUDIO TOUR WEEKEND
Artists of Garrett County, in conjunction
with the Garrett County Arts Council, invite the public
to visit their working studios on Saturday and Sunday,
July 24 and 25. Studios will be open from 10:00 am to
4:00 pm on Saturday and noon to 4:00 pm Sunday. The
tour will encompass a broad section of the county and
includes 35 artists at 13 separate locations. Artists
will provide demonstrations and artwork for sale, as
well as the opportunity to talk with them about their
artistic process and the business of art in the region.
The Artist Studio Tour is free. An array
of work will be featured including pottery, jewelry,
fused and stained glass, furniture, photography, wood
crafts, painting, sculpture, and pressed flowers. This
is the third annual event. “This is a chance for the
community and our guest to really make contact with the
variety of talent we have locally. Some of the locations
are not generally open to the public.” said an Arts
Council spokesperson.
A map brochure is available at a number
of locations including The Gallery Shop, the Visitors
Center in McHenry, Ruth Enlow Libraries, various
businesses and real estate offices throughout the area.
There will also be directional signage along the tour
route to guide drivers to the sites.
For more information, contact the Garrett
County Arts Council at 301-334-6580.
GLAF Fundraiser
Local artist, Robert Yonke, has
generously donated a beautiful piece of art to GLAF. The
original watercolor on paper which is entitled "Dusk
'til Dawn" is 20X26 inches and is matted and framed. You
can support GLAF and take a chance to win this lovely
painting. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Tickets can
be purchased this weekend before both PSO concerts at
the WISP, from any GLAF Board Member, or at the upcoming
John McCutcheon concert on August 7 at Garrett College.
The winning ticket will be drawn at the John McCutcheon
concert on August 7. The winner need not be present to
win.
OLD TIME JAM
Musicians and spectators of all ages are
invited to gather at the Lake House at New Germany State
Park to share and enjoy traditional folk, bluegrass, and
other “old-time” Appalachian music. The jam session
will be an informal gathering, where both new and
experienced musicians are welcome to “chime in,” or just
sit back and enjoy the music. Jams will be held the
first and third Fridays of every month from 6:30-9:30 PM
through September 3rd.
If you would like more information about
this program, please contact Ranger Crystal McCann, at
New Germany State Park at 301-895-5453 or
cmccann@dnr.state.md.us
Garrett County Chamber Holds Annual Membership Dinner at
Pine Lodge Steakhouse
The
annual Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Membership
Meeting & Dinner, held Thursday, June 3, enjoyed a
strong turnout this year at Pine Lodge Steakhouse, the
first year at this new location. With entertainment by
DJ Jonny Rock, the attendees enjoyed dinner and saw the
presentation of the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award
by Bill Meagher, and the Chamber President’s Award.
Michael
James Delligatti
won the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.
Mr. Delligatti first
conceived of the Big Mac’s formulation and opened
the first McDonald’s in western Pennsylvania. Mr.
Delligatti is also the owner of Arrowhead Market,
Garrett 8 Cinemas, Uno Chicago Grill and the Honi Honi.
The award was presented by Bill Meagher, last year’s
Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner to Michael
Delligatti’s son, who accepted the award on Mr.
Delligatti’s behalf.
Winners of the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award must
have originated and developed a business from inception,
shown a willingness to take risks, shown community
involvement, held high ethical standards and
demonstrated leadership by overcoming a formidable
problem that threatened business’ existence or shown
business acumen through embarking on a creative,
insightful or overlooked opportunity that will make an
important contribution to Garrett County’s business
environment through substantive community impact.
The
Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award Committee, comprised
of previous winners, selects three nominees to be voted
on by the general Chamber membership. Past honorees
include Jonathan “Smiley” Kessler, Bill Sisler, Olen
Beitzel, Johnny Marple, Barry Rush, Jim Flanigan, Sr.,
Bill and Sharon Roszell, Rob Michael, Dave and Mimi
Demaree, Brenda McDonnell and Bill Meagher.
Garrett College Interim President, Dr. Jeanne Neff,
received the President’s Award from Joyce Bishoff,
Interim President of the Garrett County Chamber of
Commerce. The President’s Award recognizes achievement
in building the business community in promoting Garrett
County beyond its borders and in creating a dramatic
shift that improves the quality of life for Garrett
County citizens.
Board
of Directors’ Interim Chairman Tony Doerr and Interim
Chamber President Joyce Bishoff presided over the annual
meeting portion of the evening. They extended
appreciation to the Board’s outgoing members, Bill
Meagher, who owns and operates Lakeside Creamery, Copper
Kettle Popcorn Factory and has been restoring buildings
in Garrett County, Gary Harringer, the owner of the Law
Offices of Gary C. Harriger, LLC, County Commissioner
Denny Glotfelty and Rob Michael of State Farm Insurance
and welcomed new Board Members, Warren Glotfelty, one of
the owners of Double G RV Park, and Merlin Beitzel of
Beitzel Corporation.
Door
Prizes for the annual dinner were graciously provided by
Chamber members. Mt. Lake Park Tennis Club provided a
complimentary tennis lesson, Minn-Scape provided a ˝
cord of seasoned hardwood and one free residential
lawnmowing, The Window People provided one room of
cleaned windows and Accident Bakery provided a $25 gift
certificate.
Tails in the Forest 5K Walk-A-Thon at Savage River
Lodge July 17
Savage River Lodge will be holding a Tails in the
Forest 5K Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, July 17 to
benefit HART for Animals and the new HART for
Animals Adoption Center.
Walk begins at the Savage River Lodge river parking
lot, by the bridge and will run from 10 am – 2 pm.
Light refreshments will be provided for both dogs
and those walking. Since there is limited parking
available, carpooling is encouraged. Children under
12 years old must be accompanied by an adult. All
dogs must be on a leash and be sure to clean up
after your pet.
$10 for pre-registration or $12 at the gate. Minimum
pledge for $50. Top five pledges will get prizes.
All proceeds will benefit HART for Animals and the
new HART for Animals Adoption Center.
For registration information, please visit
www.hartforanimals.org or
www.savageriverlodge.com or call 301.387.8085.
For directions, please visit
www.savageriverlodge.com.
Friends Store at Sang Run Opens
The Historic Friends
Store will reopen for the summer season beginning Saturday
May 29th.
The Maryland Park
Service acquired the 81 acre property in 2008. “We have
been working hard to reopen the store as an Appalachian
heritage showcase for the area” according to Ranger Caroline
Blizzard. The store will be replicated as closely as
possible to keep its historic nature and place in the
community. We hope to bring to life through interpretive
programming the traditions of Garrett County. Programming
of this nature will help insure that our heritage is
preserved and passed on to the next generation. Topics of
interest will include gardening, native plant uses, and
musical and craft traditions. Nature study such as bird
walks, reptile programs, Jr. Rangers and hikes are also
slated.
The store will also
serve as a point of contact for river activity by rafters
and tubers.
The Friends Delight
shelter, now open to public use through reservations, and
the Friend’s Store are great additions to our park. Our
staff has worked hard to find ways to showcase this
wonderful new addition to the Maryland Park Service. So stop
by and see us or become a volunteer. The store will be open
Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s through the summer.
For more information
call 301-387-7067
DNR
Amends Alcohol Policy In State Forests
Effective
immediately, the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) is amending its Alcohol
Policy on public lands to provide for a
limited exception for State Forest
campsites. The policy prohibiting
alcohol in all Maryland State Parks,
including family campgrounds, remains in
place.
“We are grateful to the citizens and
elected officials of Western Maryland,
who gave us the opportunity to hear
their voices in person on this matter,”
said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “They
persuaded us that many of the disruptive
and unacceptable behaviors which formed
the basis of the alcohol policy in the
family-style campgrounds found in State
Parks do not apply to the same degree in
the more isolated individual campsites
found in the remote settings in our
state forests.”
DNR will continue to monitor the number
and type of incidents and unacceptable
behavior associated with the consumption
of alcoholic beverages on State Forests.
Should those incidents increase to a
level which interferes with the ability
of State Forest visitors to enjoy a
peaceful and safe camping experience, or
should the Department’s resource
protection objectives be compromised by
the irresponsible consumption of
alcohol, additional restrictions may be
imposed in the future.
The Department will pursue the
possibility of new partnerships with
county tourism and retail liquor stores
to establish a public outreach effort to
educate State Forest Visitors about
drinking responsibly and employing Leave
No Trace (LNT) Ethics, a policy DNR has
been promoting in its parks. In order to
preserve the beauty and serenity of
Maryland's State Forests, visitors are
asked to leave their campsites
litter-free, refrain from nailing and
cutting trees, report vandalism of
recreation facilities, pack out all food
waste and be considerate of others. A
public outreach effort will strive to
raise the level of compliance with LNT
ethics, in order to improve campsite
conditions and the outdoor recreation
experience in the State Forests.
“I hope all our visitors who enjoy
alcohol while camping in our forests
continue to do so responsibly,” said
Secretary Griffin.
DNR Asks
Anglers To Catch And Kill Snakehead Fish
The
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) reminds anglers that they are
required by regulation to kill Northern
Snakehead fish, if caught and kept.
Snakehead fish, an invasive species,
have started to thrive in the Potomac
River and its tributaries.
“We want you to catch and kill
snakeheads,” says DNR Inland Fisheries
Director Don Cosden. “This is not a
species that we want in our waters.”
Maryland fishing regulations allow the
taking of snakeheads, so long as the
fish is:
• immediately killed and its head
removed
• gutted
• both gill arches are removed, or
• the fish is filleted.
Otherwise, the capture and possession of
snakeheads is not subject to any season,
creel limit or size limit.
Maryland does not require the reporting
of snakehead catches. DNR asks that
anglers report any snakeheads caught
outside of Potomac tidal waters by
contacting Don Cosden at
dcosden@dnr.state.md.us or call
(410) 260-8287. This will help DNR track
the expansion of the species.
Anglers in Virginia waters who catch a
snakehead must immediately kill the fish
and subsequently report the catch. The
Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fish hot line is (804) 367-2925.
Federal law prohibits the import of live
snakeheads in to the U.S. or across
state lines without a permit from the US
Fish and Wildlife Service.
.
Deep Creek
Lake State Park Announces A New Traffic
Pattern For Boaters
Deep Creek
Lake State Park announces a new traffic
pattern for boaters to use for direct
access to the state park boat launch
facilities. It is recommended that
visitors towing boats or boat trailers
go directly to the launch ramp access
drive off of State Park Road (third left
after crossing the Meadow Mountain Cove
bridge) rather than entering the park at
the day use gate.
“We have opened the launch ramp gate for
24-hour traffic, which we hope will
relieve traffic congestion on State Park
Road during the busy summer months,”
said Ranger Mark Spurrier, assistant
manager for the Deep Creek Lake
Recreation Area. “Boaters no longer have
to pass through the picnic and beach
area entrance just to launch their boat
onto the lake for the day.”
In addition to the change of access,
boaters will no longer pay the day use
admission service charge, only the
launch ramp service charge. There will
be an employee at the ramp to collect
the launch service charge and to answer
questions.
“We feel it is a win/win situation,”
said Spurrier. “The boaters will reach
the launch ramp staging area faster and
save a few dollars, and the beach
visitors will not have to wait in boat
traffic to enter the park.”
The service charge to launch a vessel
remains at $10.00/vessel for Maryland
residents and $11.00/vessel for
out-of-state visitors. Boaters are
encouraged to purchase a State Park
Passport, an annual pass to all Maryland
State Parks, if they frequently visit
the lake. The passport may be purchased
at any Maryland State Park or on-line at
www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/
The park staff also reminds vacationers
that unhitched boat trailers must be
registered with the park before being
dropped. Unregistered trailers will be
towed at the owner’s expense if the
owner cannot be located.
Unhitched/dropped trailers occupy
valuable parking spaces and may cause
other visitors to be turned away.
Vacationers are encouraged to plan ahead
and determine where short-term trailer
storage is available in the county. To
unhitch a boat trailer and leave it on
park grounds is illegal if park rangers
are not aware of an emergency or
situation that requires the trailer
being left unattended.
Maryland Natural Resources Police Remind Boaters to be
“Safe”
The
Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) urges boaters to
be SAFE while enjoying Maryland’s waterways.
Governor Martin O’Malley signed legislation April 13,
effective immediately, that requires children under 13
to wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) while underway
on a vessel under 21 feet in length. It also requires
children under the age of 16 to possess a certificate of
boating safety education before they can operate a
vessel unless they are supervised by an adult or someone
16 or older who has a boating safety certificate,
effective Oct. 1.
“Even
one boating-related death is unacceptable,” said
Governor O’Malley. “This legislation takes steps to
protect and educate Maryland children, so we can all
safely enjoy the beautiful natural resources that our
State has to offer.”
Last
year, Maryland had 16 fatal accidents, resulting in 17
deaths, up from a 5-year average of 12 fatal accidents.
NRP reports that 16 of the 17 victims were not wearing
life vests and stresses that wearing a life jacket could
be the single most important factor in preventing
boating deaths. Alcohol and drugs were a contributing
factor in 7 of the fatal boating accidents.
“Boaters should use good judgment, avoid alcohol
consumption and take safety precautions before
departing,” said NRP Colonel George Johnson.
Boaters can help ensure their safety and the safety of
others enjoying Maryland’s waterways by remembering the
acronym “SAFE”:
·
S –
Survey or examine your vessel’s hull, engine and
navigational equipment for serviceability. Ensure the
hull is sound and free of cracks, holes and defects.
Survey your vessel’s engine performance. Take it to a
certified mechanic to ensure the engine is operating
properly. Survey and examine all navigational lights,
communication, radar, GPS and other electronic equipment
to ensure that they are functioning properly.
·
A –
Anticipate the needs of the trip prior to leaving the
dock. Ensure fuel, clothing, and medical needs are met
during the trip. Plan for unexpected events like foul
weather or sudden storms.
·
F –
File a float plan with a friend or relative. Tell
someone where you going, how long you plan to stay, and
when to expect you back. This is vital information for
rescuers searching for lost or overdue boaters.
·
E –
Equipment. Ensure that all safety equipment is in good
condition and sufficient quantity for the people on
board the vessel. Basic equipment includes correct size
and quantity of life jackets, fire extinguishers, visual
distress signals (flares etc), and sound producing
device such as a whistle or horn.
NRP
responded to 299 boating accidents last year, 202 of
which resulted in injuries that required treatment more
than first aid and/or had damages to the vessels in
excess of $ 2,000. Also, NRP responded to an additional
355 boating assist and search or rescue calls last
year. NRP responds to an average 2400 boating incidents
a year.
For
more information on safe boating in Maryland, visit the
DNR website:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/.
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