SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — The San Joaquin County Sheriff Boating Unit is expecting about 3,000 boaters to hit the waters for the Fourth of July weekend.
Due to the influx of people and crafts on the water, they’re getting ready for an increase in crashes, accidents and rescues. Officials say this is one of the busiest weekends for them.
“We will only get four or five calls a day and sometimes we will get double or triple that,” said Deputy John Canepa.
They’re warning people to be as safe as possible on the water due to the slower response time on the water — which can be anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes.
Boats are pulled over and inspected before and throughout the weekend to ensure safety protocols are being followed.
What are some of those protocols? Every boat should have life jackets for all passengers, a fire extinguisher, a floatation device to throw in the water to someone (like a lifebuoy ring) and now a California Boaters Card.
“It’s required for everyone 50 and under this year. By 2025, everyone will have to have one. It’s kind of like a driver’s license for the water to help reduce the accidents out here and give more people a general understanding of the rules of the waterways,” said Canepa.
Right now there is a national campaign going on, Operation Dry Water focusing on boating under the influence.
While there is no law against having an open container on the boat, the blood alcohol level is the same for a car as a boat — .08%.
