Syracuse.com - Two real-life stories in which boaters were saved by their life jackets

[HuntingNY-News]

These stories illustrate that the waterways in Oswego County and throughout New York State are very cold – all year round -- and that hypothermia can adversely affect people who are stranded in the water for even short periods of time.

The following is a press release from the Wear It! Oswego campaign. Both stories are food for thought:

The Wear It! Oswego campaign recently spoke with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Station Oswego regarding two real-life “saved by the jacket” rescues.

In both instances, individuals involved in these accidents on Lake Ontario would not be alive today if they were not wearing a life jacket.

In August 2010, USCG Station Oswego received a mayday call that a sailing club of five boats was stuck on the east break wall in Oswego Harbor. The USCG’s research vessel Kaho was in the area and picked five individuals out of the water. USCG Station Oswego also launched its 25-foot response boat which picked up four more people.

Two additional individuals on shore were rescued by the City of Oswego Police Department and brought to the hospital. All others were transported to the USCG Station Oswego where they were treated by an Oswego ambulance crew. A total of 11 people were involved including the sailing instructors, and all are alive today because they were wearing life jackets.

In September 2010, a 19-foot recreational vessel was capsized by waves in Lake Ontario approximately two nautical miles from the Salmon River. USCG Station Oswego's 25-foot response boat arrived on the scene and located three individuals in the water that were severely hypothermic.

The three people – who all were wearing life jackets -- used a portable VHF radio they took into the water to help direct the rescue crew. Following the rescue, they were transported by ambulance for treatment and later released.

“In these two situations, it was fortunate that all of the individuals were wearing life jackets,” said BMCS Joseph M. Orlando, Officer-in-Charge, USCG Station Oswego. “Unfortunately life jackets are not used in many of our other rescue situations and thus results are not as positive.”

“These stories also illustrate that the waterways in Oswego County and throughout New York State are very cold – all year round -- and that hypothermia can adversely affect people who are stranded in the water for even short periods of time,” Orlando added.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog