National Safe Boating Council

The National Safe Boating Council is a membership organization with over 330 U.S. and Canadian members committed to reducing boating accidents and enhancing the boating experience. The Council is committed to providing education programs to promote the safety of the recreational boating experience.^[1]

National Safe Boating Council

The National Safe Boating Council is a partner organization supporting the North American Safe Boating Campaign, which unites the efforts of a wide variety of boating safety advocates, including National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the Canadian Safe Boating Council and the many members of the National Safe Boating Council.^[2]

History

The National Safe Boating Council was formed in September 1958 as the National Safe Boating Committee to educate boaters about safe boating during National Safe Boating Week.^[3]

The first time there was a week designated to safe boating was in June 1952 when the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary observed a “Safe Boating Week” as a Courtesy Examination weekend in Amesburg, Massachusetts. This tradition continued until 1957 when an official National Safe Boating Week observation took place sponsored by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary in various parts of the country.^[4]

As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard prepared a Resolution, and on June 4, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed PL 85-445, to establish National Safe Boating Week as the first week starting on the first Sunday in June.^[5][6] The National Safe Boating Week Committee, now known as the National Safe Boating Council, organized the event by coordinating efforts among the various boating safety groups.^[7] In 1995, the date for National Safe Boating Week was finally changed to the full week (Saturday – Friday) before Memorial Day Weekend each year. This allowed the message of safe boating to reach more boaters before the season and enforce the message for a longer amount of time each year.^[8][9]

The National Safe Boating Week Committee branched out on its own as the National Safe Boating Committee, Inc. in 1973 to lead major boating safety efforts. The next year, the committee was reincorporated as the National Safe Boating Council, Inc.^[10]

The Council’s efforts are led by Executive Director Virgil Chambers.^[11] Chambers served in the United States Navy then joined the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, where he served as chief of the Boating Safety and Education Division from 1978 to 1996.^[12] He developed and implemented the Pennsylvania Public School Boating and Water Safety Program. He also founded the National Association for Search and Rescue water rescue training program and served as director of this national program from 1987 to 1997.^[13]

Chambers has been the Executive Director for the National Safe Boating Council since 1996, where he serves as the technical content advisor in direct support of the Council’s education and information programs. He is responsible for the planning and development of the year-round national boating safety awareness campaign administrated by the U.S. Coast Guard. He also serves as a representative of the Council to national and international boating and water safety organizations. He serves on the Education Committees of National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.^[14][15][16]

Membership

Currently, the Council supports a volunteer membership of over 330 organizations. These organizations are federal, state and local agencies involved in recreational boating safety and educational activities, national and regional nonprofit public service organizations, and national nonprofit boating industry organizations. Membership is diverse, with approximately 65% of the membership being nonprofit organizations and 35% being for-profit organizations.^[10]

Programs

The Council promotes and sponsors boating safety instructor training courses and programs including:^[10]

- Boating safety instructor training course – a partnership training program between the Council and National Association of State Boating Law Administrators designed to recognize the instructor candidate’s prior training and instructor experience.^[10]

- Close-quarters boat control course – a defensive boat handling and close quarter control course that focuses on maneuvers and techniques for enforcement officers and agencies that need good skills in operating power boats while performing their duties.^[10]

- Boating Safety Sidekicks – introduced in 2000 for children to learn about safe boating practices and how they can become safer boaters.^[17]

- North American Safe Boating Campaign – the official entrance of Canada in 2000 transformed National Safe Boating Week into a larger, international event.^[2]

Annual Conference

In 1997, the Council joined with the National Water Safety Congress (NWSC) to create one, annual event called the International Boating and Water Safety Summit (IBWSS).^[18]

References

1. ^ “National Safe Boating Council – NSBC”. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. http://www.healthfinder.gov/orgs/hr1423.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
2. ^ ^{a b} “Wear It! Campaign”. North American Safe Boating Campaign. http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
3. ^ “The National Safe Boating Council”. National Safe Boating Council. http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
4. ^ “About the Auxiliary”. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. http://www.cgaux.org/. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
5. ^ “National Safe Boating Week – Why?”. Atlantic Maritime Academy. http://www.atlanticmaritimeacademy.com/bringingithomesafely09.html. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
6. ^ “Public Law 85-445”. The Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/index.html. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
7. ^ “Proclamation 6570 – National Safe Boating Week, 1993”. The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=62435. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
8. ^ “NSBC celebrates 50 years”. North American Safe Boating Campaign. http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/sca/sca-nsbc50.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
9. ^ “H.R.2150”. The Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/index.html. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
10. ^ ^{a b c d e} “National Safe Boating Council”. National Safe Boating Council. http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
11. ^ “Partnerships and Water Safety Councils – National Safe Boating Council”. National Water Safety Congress. http://www.watersafetycongress.org/partners.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
12. ^ “Low-Head Dams, by Virgil Chambers”. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. http://www.fishandboat.com/damlow_info.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
13. ^ “About Us”. National Association for Search and Rescue. http://www.nasar.org/nasar/about_us.php. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
14. ^ “About the NSBC”. National Safe Boating Council. http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
15. ^ “Education & Awareness”. National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. http://nasbla.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3307. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
16. ^ “Education”. Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. http://www.rbff.org/page.cfm?pageID=343. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
17. ^ “Boating Safety Sidekicks”. BoatingSidekicks.com. http://www.boatingsidekicks.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
18. ^ “International Boating and Water Safety Summit”. National Water Safety Congress. http://www.watersafetycongress.org/ibwss.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-29.

See also

• United States Power Squadrons

External links

• Boating Safety Sidekicks
• International Boating and Water Safety Summit
• National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
• National Safe Boating Council
• North American Safe Boating Campaign
• National Water Safety Congress
• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary