06/24/16 - Operation Dry Water Post Date: 06/24/2016 Awareness Campaign- Fact Sheet OPERATION DRY WATER June 24-26, 2016 Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Deputies will be participating in Operation Dry Water this weekend on Lake Winnebago. This operation is part of a National initiative to reduce the number of alcohol and drug related accidents and fatalities on the water. About Operation Dry Water: > Operation Dry Water 2016 is June 24-26. > Operation Dry Water is a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related accidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water. > Operation Dry Water is coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard as well as local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. > Agencies from all 56 U.S. states, trusts and territories are expected to participate in Operation Dry Water 2016, and in the ODW 2016 heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, June 24-26. > Launched in 2009 by NASBLA in partnership with the United States Coast Guard, Operation Dry Water has been a highly successful campaign, drawing public attention to the dangers of boating under the influence (BUI) of alcohol and drugs. > Since the inception of the Operation Dry Water Campaign in 2009, law enforcement officers have removed 2,153 BUI operators from the nation’s waterways and made contact with over 729,000 boaters during the annual three-day weekend. The campaign continues to make a significant impact on boater safety and spreading the message of the danger of boating under the influence. > Operation Dry Water is held in June just prior to the Fourth of July holiday, a holiday known for increased boaters on the waters where alcohol use is prevalent, as are subsequent boating accidents and fatalities. > The Operation Dry Water outreach and awareness portion of the campaign is in effect year-round. Through the outreach efforts of NASBLA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the participating law enforcement agencies nationwide, Operation Dry Water focuses on spreading awareness of the danger of boating under the influence as well as changing the cultural acceptance of drinking or being impaired while boating. Operation Dry Water 2015 > In 2015, 582 local, state, and federal agencies participated in Operation Dry Water nationwide. Over that three-day weekend law enforcement officers contacted 125,087 boaters, made 278 BUI arrests, and issued 17,942 citations and warnings for safety violations. > In 2015, more than 6,600 officers from 582 local, state, and federal agencies participated in the 72 hours of heightened BUI enforcement in all 56 U.S. states and territories. About BilI: > U.S. Coast Guard 2014 data reveal that alcohol use is the primary contributing factor recreational boater deaths.2 > Wisconsin reported 21 fatalities during 2015. Of the fatalities, alcohol use was involved in 37% of the accidents. · Where PFD use was reported, 90% were not wearing a personal flotation device. · Drowning was determined to be the cause of death in 90% of the fatalities. · 33% of the victims were reported to be boating for recreation at the time of the accident > Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher is against federal law and Wisconsin laws. > Alcohol can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time. It can also increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. > Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion – “stressors” common to the boating environment – intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications. > Impairment can be even more dangerous for boaters than for drivers, since most boaters have less experience and confidence operating a boat than they do driving a car. > Persons found to be boating under the influence can expect to incur severe penalties. If a boat operator is BUI, the voyage may be terminated, the boat may be impounded and the operator may be arrested. Penalties vary by state but can include fines, jail, loss of boating privileges, even loss of driving privileges. > A three-year field evaluation by the Southern California Research Institute completed in 2011 validated a battery of tests for marine use that are now the basis for efforts to implement a National Marine Field Sobriety Test standard. > Combined with chemical tests using blood, breath, and urine samples, these validated ashore and afloat tests give marine law enforcement officers an impressive arsenal in their ongoing efforts to enforce BUI laws. > Alcohol is also dangerous for passengers. Intoxication can lead to slips, falls overboard and other dangerous accidents. > It is illegal in every state and territory to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. BUI laws pertain to all vessels, from canoes and rowboats to the largest ships. Other Boating Safety Facts: > 90% of people who drowned in a recreational boating accident were not wearing a life jacket. Always wear a life jacket! > Boat operator instruction is a significant factor in avoiding and surviving accidents. In accidents where the operator’s instruction was known, 77% of fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received any boating safety instruction.4 > In 2014, there were 11,804,002 recreational vessels registered in the United States. > As of December 31, 2015, there were 624,105 registered vessels in Wisconsin that display the State vessel registration number, a 1% decrease from 2014.
