Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea

Helicopter rescue swimmer Mario Vittone sheds some light on offshore survival training, and the importance of getting schooled on boating safety.

Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Mario Vittone says don’t leave the dock too fast; you might endanger the safety of crew.

Your VHF radio is one of the most important pieces of safety gear on your boat. The problem is that most people rarely turn theirs on.

I knew a North Carolina highway patrol officer who once told me, “I’ve never unbuckled a dead man.

Being a United States Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer may just be the best job in the world. Mario Vittone explains what it takes to make the cut.

Mario Vittone says boating with certain people can be a recipe for disaster, so choose your crew carefully.

Most of what you know about hypothermia and cold- water immersion is likely incorrect. Mario Vittone separates fact from fiction in his latest Lifelines column.

Visual signals are key for a successful rescue at sea. If you want the Coast Guard to find your crew, think bigger and brighter.

Airline pilots use checklists to ensure they get everyone to their destination safely. Boaters can learn a thing or two from this practice.

I love EPIRBs. When asked what one thing I would take with me offshore, I always answer: an EPIRB.

In his latest Ask Mario video, Mario Vittone answers Craig Warner's question: " When would you let one of your crew go into the water to assist someone who is unable to help themselves?"

In this Ask Mario video, Mario Vittone answers Len Thibodeaux's question: Does Mario prefer EPIRBs or Satellite Tracking Devices?

For the past year, Mario Vittone has been writing the Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog for Soundingsonline.com. Now he is undertaking a new venture with Soundings, called Ask Mario, where readers can get answers to their boating safety questions. In this video, Mario answers the question: How often should thru hull fittings be replaced? WATCH

When I was in the U.S. Coast Guard, I couldn’t say this; but I believe the phrase “Always wear your life jacket” is terrible advice.

For the past year, former US Coast Guard rescue swimmer Mario Vittone has been teaching Soundings readers how to be safer on the water through his “Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea” blog. He will continue to educate us, but first, he wants to hear from you. READ MORE.

When people fall overboard, more often than not it’s at the marina when boarding or stepping off the boat.

Last week in Lifelines, Mario Vittone dispelled a massive myth in his post Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning, which went viral and will save lives. This week, Vittone tackles the fallacy that untrained, but otherwise competent swimmers, can't make an attempt to save someone who's drowning and tells us how to (safely) do it.

Mention drowning and we all tend to envision a person in the water waving his hands, splashing and screaming for help. That’s not even remotely close to what a drowning person looks like, writes Mario Vittone in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

At a meeting with 250 boaters last year, I asked for a show of hands: “How many of you have registered your DSC radio and have an MMSI number?

You don’t have to be able to deadlift 400 pounds, but you do need to be able to keep your cool under pressure if you want to become a Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer, writes Mario Vittone in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

The Coast Guard uses a computer model — among other tools — to aid in the determination of whether it should continue searching for someone. Mario Vittone discusses the factors taken into account when calling off a search in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea.