New Boat Safety Education for Hawke’s Bay Schools

A new boat safety education programme is being offered to Hawke’s Bay primary and intermediate schools in early summer by the Harbourmaster.

The programme has been funded by a grant from the recreational boating fund through Maritime New Zealand.

It is a first for Hawke’s Bay schools. Harbourmaster Phil Norman has been keen to run a free programme to schools to reinforce the successful lifejacket awareness campaigns he has run over the last two summers.

The programme will be rolled out to schools over two years with schools in Central Hawke’s Bay, Napier and Wairoa being offered the programme from 17 November to 12 December this year.

A university student and surf lifesaver, Rhys Harman, will work as an HBRC educator and visit the schools to teach students about safety in and around boats.

“We want our children to be safe around boats, and understand the importance of wearing lifejackets and other boat safety skills. Some schools have signed up to have the boating safety educator there for a whole day to work with all their classes, which is a great response,” says HBRC’s Harbourmaster Phil Norman.

Students will learn from a fun, interactive presentation on boating safety, a lifejacket demonstration and an optional extra of climbing aboard a boat, loaned by Firmans Marine, to learn about keeping safe while in and around boats.

“I’d particularly like to hear from schools near the sea or a river in Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa sign up for this, so that parents know their children have a solid understanding of boat safety,” says Captain Norman.

He is particularly thankful to Firmans’ Marine for the loan of a boat for the duration of the programme.

Wairoa, CHB or Napier Schools who would like to register for the boating safety programme can still contact HBRC’s Harbourmaster on 06 833 4525. Hastings schools and others will be offered the programme the following summer.

The education programme reinforces HBRC’s bylaw change requiring everyone in a boat under 6 metres or paddle craft to wear a personal flotation device at all times.

Safer Boating Week runs next week (17-24 October) with a spotlight on “prepping your boat, checking your gear and knowing the rules” before getting out on the water this Labour Weekend.

http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/News-Events/Media-Releases/Pages/default.aspx

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