Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea

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.

No one likes to change when it comes to new rules or regulations that restrict free will. Professionals should decide for themselves what is right or wrong, based on their knowledge and experience, and apply it to operate their vessel safely and effectively. The only problem is just how often that model fails. Mario Vittone explains why experience is a rotten teacher in this week's installment of Lifelines: Safety And Rescue at Sea.

Check the Coast Guard’s annual boating statistics, and you’d think it never happens.

At sea during an emergency is the absolute worst time to discover what your life raft is or isn’t packed with, or to figure out how to get in and out of it, writes Mario Vittone in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

After working an incident where an angler and his two sons lost their lives, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Mario Vittone changed his focus to helping boaters prepare for the worst. He writes about the case, and his upcoming Boaters University video series, in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

How do you find out if the captain on your next fishing charter or head boat excursion is a capable one? Mario Vittone writes about the three questions he asks, when in doubt, in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

Mario Vittone takes a 41-degree dip in the Delaware River in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog. Watch his video to learn a simple cold-water immersion strategy that could save your life.

In 2013, I retired as a maritime accident investigator for the Coast Guard. Prior to that, I was a helicopter rescue swimmer, and before that I worked aboard a patrol boat.

What’s the one man overboard device you should pack in your life jacket? The answer is, “Yes,” writes Mario Vittone in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

There's a 40 percent chance you'll never be seen again — alive or dead —if you fall overboard at sea. It is perhaps the most dangerous boating situation you can find yourself in, writes Mario Vittone in this week's Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

It’s odorless, colorless and lurks aboard every boat with an engine — carbon monoxide, the silent killer. Read Mario Vittone’s latest Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog to find out how a little knowledge, preventative maintenance and $99 can save your life.

Exploding lava, missing and unlighted buoys, channel shoaling and daymark destruction are just a few things you can find in a Coast Guard Local Notice To Mariners (LNM). Mario Vittone explains why you should check the LNM for your area every week in his latest Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.

It was an average day on the Columbia River in Oregon as a trio of anglers fished for salmon. Before they knew it, all three were jumping into the water just seconds before a Bayliner Trophy ran over top of their boat.

Knowing how to communicate with the vessels around you using your VHF marine radio is one of the most important safe boating skills you can learn.

What would you do if you found yourself cold and alone on this desolate stretch of beach overnight? Lighting a fire is a good place to start.

Mario Vittone is resolving to read and learn more in the new year. See what 7 safety and survival books make Vittone’s must-read list in his latest Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog. WATCH.

In this week's Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea, Mario Vittone recommends three pieces of electronic gear you should keep onboard as backups. It’s not as expensive a proposition as you might think. WATCH.

In his latest Lifelines blog, Mario Vittone lists seven of his favorite pieces of safety gear for the seagoing boater in your life, from stocking stuffers to one gift that definitely won’t fit under the tree.

In this week’s installment of Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea, Mario Vittone debunks the myths of independence and self-reliance at sea. READ MORE.