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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=5 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>Coast Guard to
Emphasize Life Jacket Wear</span></font><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>February 27 2008</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>A key outcome of the Coast Guard's Recreational
Boating Safety program is to reduce loss of life on the water. A major
component of that program is to convince boaters to wear their life jackets
while on the water. Various media campaigns have been utilized in the past
without a major shift in the desired outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) provides the
vessel examiner an opportunity to educate the boater on the value and
importance of life jacket wear. During the VSC, the criteria for
selecting, sizing, and inspection of life jackets is reviewed and demonstrated
to the boater.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Public education courses are another venue to
demonstrate the variety of life jackets available. Of paramount interest is the
inflatable life jacket which offers the boater a comfortable and reliable life
saving option.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Public affairs activities, such as safety exhibits at
boat shows, provide another venue to illustrate to the public the variety of life
jackets available in the market place.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>The Coast Guard’s Office of Auxiliary and Boating
Safety firmly believes that our vessel examiners, public educators and public
affairs representatives should be role models for life jacket wear and are
encouraging them to wear their life jackets during vessel safety checks, public
education classes, and public affair events. As an incentive for demonstrating
the "right behavior" on and around the water, inflatable life jackets
branded with the "Wear It" logo will be made available (on a loner
basis) to each Flotilla and Squadron. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Inflatable life jackets will be distributed to local
units which will be responsible for the custody, maintenance, and utilization
of this equipment and annual reporting of the local inventory through respective
chain of command to the Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, Program
Operations Branch (CG-54222). The expectation is that they will be leveraged to
provide the maximum possible exposure to support the wearing of life jackets. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Peter
Urgola, <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>USCG
Auxiliary <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Chief,
Vessel Examination Dept.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Bob
Miller<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>US
Power Squadrons<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Chairman,
VSC Committee<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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