State wildlife authorities are ramping up safety awareness as they prepare to turn out in force during one of the busiest boating holidays of the year.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is participating in Operation Dry Water, a national campaign observed July 4-6 that boosts enforcement and awareness of the dangers of boating while impaired.
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“The presence of law enforcement officers in North Carolina is a key factor in preventing incidents from occurring or escalating,” Lt. Forrest Orr, of the NCWRC’s Law Enforcement Division stated in a release. “The Operation Dry Water campaign is an effective resource in providing safer boating opportunities, keeping boating safety at the forefront of holiday activities.”
The campaign was developed through the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.
Wildlife Resources deployed nearly 160 wildlife officers during last year’s campaign, during which time they removed 40 people from the water who were boating while impaired, according to a news release.
It is illegal to operate a boat with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, or while impaired by drugs.
There have been 37 boating incidents, including seven that were fatal, on North Carolina waters this year.
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A total of 19 people died last year in boating incidents. Seventeen of those killed were not wearing a life jacket.
Operation Dry Water and The Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s Operation Firecracker Booze It & Lose It campaign are also supported by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and the North Carolina Forensic Tests for Alcohol Branch.
