Paddling Safety Task Force
Top 10 Safety List
- Take an on water course for safety & paddling.
- Wear your properly fitted lifejacket at all times on the water.
- Understand cold water safety.
- Check high water conditions prior to launching.
- Check weather conditions and plan accordingly.
- Bring water and snacks for long days on the water.
- Have a first aid kit and cell phone in a dry bag.
- Leave your itinerary with someone and estimated time off the water.
- Have a safety check list.
- Know your limits.
Top Safety Links:
American Whitewater Association
USGS for Illinois water levels.
Weather updates across Illinois.
Safety Task Force Partners:
Water Sports Foundation Creates New Paddle Responsibly Logo for the U.S. Coast Guard
Orlando, FL February 28, 2017:
The non-profit Water Sports Foundation (WSF) announced today the release of a specialized paddle sports safety logo designed for, and approved by, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety. The Coast Guard has promoted its popular Boat Responsibly logo for many years, but with an extra emphasis on paddling safety, it became apparent that there needed to be a sister logo designed specifically for paddle sports.
For the past five years, paddle sports popularity has grown steadily and so have boating deaths related to paddling. In 2015, according to a U.S. Coast Guard report*, 143 paddlers lost their lives while participating in paddle sports. The trend of increased paddle sports deaths is causing concern amongst the Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division and paddle sports safety organizations. This news comes during a period that deaths from traditional power boating actually declined.
Please read the full press release from the Water Sports Foundation, Inc. here.
Water_Sports_Foundation_Releases_New_ Coast_Guard_PaddleSports_Logo
And access the logo (JPG and PNG)
