Despite some May showers at their boating awareness week event on Sunday (May 20), the soon-to-be-renamed Squamish Coast Guard Auxiliary (SCGA) still managed to get the word out.
The group managed to raise more than $400 and president Rebecca Spitzer said boating safety should be on everyone's mind with summer fast approaching.
"It's a really big deal and everyone should be aware of some of the risks involved," she said. "Life jackets are a must but I always tell people about the 1-10-1 rule. When you fall out of a boat, it takes one minute to get your breathing under control, 10 minutes before you start losing control of your motor skills and one hour in the water to become hypothermic."
Spitzer said another mistake people make is trying to swim to shore. She explained that it's never a good idea to attempt to swim to shore because your body is already weakened by the cold water. She said the best thing to do is stay with the boat and grab onto anything you can that is floating while you wait for help.
Another popular topic of conversation at the event was the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency (PCOC), which is offered by the SCGA. The full-day, eight-hour course will take place in Squamish on June 24 and those interested can register by emailing [email protected].
Spitzer said the SCGA will officially change its name at an event at Horseshoe Bay on Saturday (May 26). She explained it should make things easier for the local search and rescue group and similar groups around the province.
"We're getting away from the Coast Guard part of it and trying to get away from the image that we're part of the government," she said. "We're not. We're volunteers but a lot of people think we're part of the government and it can make fundraising harder."
The group will also have an open house in August. Details are still being worked out, but Spitzer said it will likely be around the same time as the Squamish Open Annual Regatta (SOAR).
She added that the group is always looking for volunteers and no boating experience is necessary. Volunteers should be 18 or older and having standard first aid training would be a benefit.
For more information on the group, visit www.hsmrs.org and follow them on Twitter - @Squamishaux04.
