Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea

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.

Don’t cheap out on backup electronics for your boat

Is your first aid kit equipped and ready for a real medical emergency?

Keeping all of your charts accurate is a simple matter of knowing how to read and use the U.S. Coast Guard's Local Notice to Mariners.

It’s a charter captain’s job to keep you safe, but it’s your responsibility to make sure he knows how to do that.

A heartbreaking event on a river in Virginia taught this rescue swimmer a life-changing lesson about boating safety.

Suspending a search is the worst part of being a Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer.

The actions you take in the moments after someone goes over the side of the boat can be life-altering. Here’s what to do first.

Self-reliance is one thing many boat owners embrace, but that ethos could get you into trouble, writes Mario Vittone.

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.

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