SOURCE: HOUSTON CHRONICLE
AUDIENCE: 684,779
DATE: 12-20-2009
HEADLINE: 
Safety precautions can be difference in living or dying

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Safety precautions can be difference in living or dying By SHANNON TOMPKINS HOUSTON CHRONICLE Recovering from the nearfatal experience of swamping a boat in wind-churned Espiritu Santo Bay, waterfowl hunter says there are several safety-related precautions he wishes he had taken and will do in the future. And one he's glad he took. "I will never have a boat without an EPIRB or one of those personal locator beacons," said victim, who survived more than 12 hours drifting in 50-degree water over a long night this past weekend. An EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon) or PLB (personal locator beacon) is an waterproof electronic device that sends an emergency distress radio signal when activated Â— some are activated when they hit water. PLBs are small Â— about the size of a hand-held radio Â— and can be kept in a jacket pocket. The distress signals both transmit are monitored by agencies such as the Coast Guard and can be used to guide rescuers to exact locations via GPS coordinates. Camo life jackets a no-no Life jackets Â— personal flotation devices or PFDs Â— are crucial to surviving a swamping. Not only do they keep a person afloat, they can provide some heat retention, which can be hugely important to a person in cold water. And get the brightest-colored PFD available Â— red, orange or chartreuse Â— and make certain they have reflector strips on them. "We had camouflage life jackets," victim said. "That's stupid! You want someone to be able to see you in the water." The most crucial advice concerning PFDs is the most simple: wear them, particularly when in rough water. PFDs are worthless if they are stored in a locker or hatch. In most boating accidents in which boaters end up in the water, there is not enough time to find, remove and put on PFDs stored in lockers or hatches. A waterproof flashlight or strobe that can be attached to a PFD can be a lifesaver. "If I'd have had some kind of light Â— any kind of light Â— they could have found me really easy," victim said. Several times during his long night in the water, rescuers were within a few hundred yards of victim, but he had no way to signal to them. Boats should have a waterproof box or small container with emergency gear Â— what some boaters call a "ditch bag" Â— immediately reachable. In it, stow a waterproof light, rain jacket, flares, matches, whistle, mirror and anything else that would be of use. A cell phone in a waterproof bag can be a lifesaver. But boaters shouldn't depend on a cell phone to get them out of trouble. In many areas, particularly some of the isolated waters used by waterfowlers and anglers, cellphone service is unavailable. Don't forget 'trip plan' Letting someone know exactly where you are going, the route you are taking and when you plan to return is an essential safety precaution for boaters. Such "trip plans" can be invaluable. Because victim's friends knew exactly the route he planned to take between Port O'Connor and Matagorda Island, they were able to refocus the rescue efforts from Matagorda Bay to Espiritu Santo Bay. The most important and useful safety precaution for boaters Â— whether its waterfowlers on the water at night or anglers afloat during the day Â— is to watch the weather and respect the power of open water. Bays and lakes can turn hellishly rough this time of year. And conditions can go from dead calm to Victory at Sea in minutes when a powerful cold front moves through. Waterfowl hunters, who often use smaller boats to reach hunting areas in the bays and large reservoirs, relish nasty weather conditions and, invariably, do at least part of their boating at night, are at increased risk of becoming victims of swampings. The best safety equipment any boater can have is common sense. If it's too rough, don't try it. The cost can be far too high. the 40s, he quickly began suffering the effects of hypothermia. He hallucinated that he saw land. "It turned out to just be a line of waves." He caught himself almost slipping into unconsciousness a few times as the numbing cold sapped his strength. But he fought that with little exercises Â— shoulder shrugs, leg movements Â— to "keep some blood pumping." Fate of dog unknown Soon after sunrise Saturday, more than 12 hours after the boat rolled in the middle of Espiritu Santo Bay, a Coast Guard boat spotted victim. He had drifted more than seven miles from where the accident occurred. victim was suffering from severe hypothermia Â— his body's core temperature was down to 88 degrees. He couldn't move his legs. But he was alive. He spent a couple of days in the hospital at Port Lavaca, where, among other actions, medical staff flushed his kidneys, which had began shutting down because of hypothermia. This past week, he remained weak and had a nagging cough and congestion. "The doctors told me that even when you survive something like this, it takes a long time to recover," he said. His main concern, now, is the fate of Sue, his dog. "I'm hoping she made it to land Â—maybe to the island Â— and someone finds her," he said. "She's a good, gentle dog. I just hope ..." The Coast Guard told victim his foundered boat floated ashore on Matagorda Island