**Due to COVID-19 precautions, courses have been canceled until further notice.**
The summer boating season is well under way in the Lowcountry, which brings the ever-increased need for safety on the water. On average, 700 people die each year in boating related accidents in the United States with the vast majority of these accidents caused by human error, not due to equipment or mechanical malfunctions.
The best way to keep your family and friends safe on the water is to remain vigilant in water safety, which starts with the Certified Boaters Education Course.
The North Charleston Fire Department’s marine division provides the SC Department of Natural Resources course for FREE. Even if you think you are an experienced boater and well versed in water safety, consider that receiving a course certificate could lower boat insurance.
Also, if you have a responsible, yet adventuresome teenager, boaters under 16 years of age are required by law to pass an approved boater education course before operating, without supervision, a personal watercraft (jet ski) or a boat powered by 15 hp or more.
The course can be completed in a single session, lasts about 6 hours, and includes comprehensive information about boating safety and laws dictating the rule of our waterways.
If you are interested in this course, boat safety, or have a teenager interested in boating, call certified instructor Captain Mike Bowers with the North Charleston Fire Department at [email protected] to find course times.