Easter ham not your jam? Good alternatives to traditional holiday dining in Naples
LIFE

Kids learn hands-on boating safety at downtown marina

Mary Wozniak
mwozniak@news-press.com
Fire boat hoses are a hit at the free marine safety day at Edison Ford Marina, Fort Myers

Kids learned from doing and adults learned from listening Saturday at the family-oriented, Touch-A-Boat and Marine Safety Day at Marina at Edison Ford near downtown Fort Myers.

The lighthearted event, featuring fire boats and booths from various agencies, a mock invasion of the marina by the Lee County Sheriff's Office Waterborne Strike Team, and free rides on the Edison Explorer Eco Tour boat, was backed by sobering statistics:

Lee County was No. 6 and Collier County No. 9 among boat accidents in Florida counties in 2013, according to statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The majority of accidents happen to Baby Boomers. Statewide, 35 percent of boat accidents had operators 51 and older; 31 percent by operators 36-50; 24 percent by operators 22-35; and 10 percent by operators 21 and under.

John Smiley, dockmaster at the marina, called the first-time event a success. "I truly wanted to be able to create an event bridging the gap between kids and families and law enforcement," he said. "Let's create a day where we all hang out. We all live on the water."

George Perez, fireman with the Fort Myers Fire Department, was one of the most popular people there. He helped groups of kids turn on one of the boat's fire hoses, called a deck gun, and spray to their hearts' content.

While the children were involved in hands-on learning, adults were asking questions, Perez said, like, "What are the response times? How often do you go out?

The boat is always on a lift ready to go, Perez said. "We get out pretty quickly."

The boat goes out about two times a month, for happenings like boats with equipment trouble and jumpers - people who intend to or do jump from the bridges spanning the Caloosahatchee River, he said.

Kids had their favorite questions too, said Lt. Mike Andriani of FWC. "How fast do the boats go? Can I turn the lights on?"

Mia Pereira, 4, of Fort Myers, was not only introduced to safety on the seas, but threats to the safety of sea life.

She seemed transfixed by a poster at the Ding Darling Wildlife refuge booth that showed the kinds of trash that can be found in a sea turtle's stomach: lighters, plastic bottle caps, a brush, sunglasses, a bottle of 5-hour Energy drink and old balloons.

Jay Rodriguez, spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard, said the law enforcement groups are all part of Southwest Florida Marine Task Force. They patrol anywhere from the Franklin Locks to the Collier line to the south, and Charlotte County to the north, he said. "We can go from police officers to lifesavers like that."

T

Mia Pereira, 4, of Fort Myers, learned about more than boating safety today

he first thing he teaches adults and kids is "to always respect the water." he said. A person has to have a license to drive a car, but not to drive a boat, he said. A person can buy a $100,000 car, but he has to have a driver's license to use it, he said. A person who buys a $100,000 boat just has to turn on the engine and go.

Boating accidents have been increasing, and one of the reasons is boating and drinking, Rodriguez said. Unlike the driver of a car, a boat operator can be in possession of an alcoholic beverage, he said. But the same legal limit of .08 for intoxication applies.

Brennan Bunk, 8, liked the Florida Highway Patrol vehicle rollover/seatbelt simulator, in which a dummy was ejected to show consequences of not wearing a seatbelt when a vehicle rolls over.

"It was cool," he said.

His mom, Tara Bunk of Tampa, said they were visiting Edison Ford Estates Saturday and stopped by when they were told about the event. "We don't have a boat," she said.

"But we will," Brennan said as he walked away.