Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Everyone, no matter how long they’ve been boating, benefits from a little extra education.

04—Boater education goes over the basic responsibility of every boater.

Steve Hall is director of Education at Parks and Wildlife. In a boater education class you’ll learn how to equip your vessel with the proper safety equipment and how to file a float plan…but it doesn’t end there.

Next it follows all the navigation aids and procedures on the water and getting underway—and that is familiarization with the rules of the road, they call them. And this is the rules of the waterway.

Boating education is mandatory for those 13 through 17 years of age. But, unfortunately, the age group that’s involved in most boating accident are above that age, and comprise most of the operators in the state of Texas. And so, trying to get more adults to take boater education is a trick, but it would be imperative if we’re going to reduce the accidents even more.

Find boating education courses, including Internet options, at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website.

That’s our show… We receive support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

[SFX speed boat on water]

Having fun and being safe are not mutually exclusive goals when boating this Fourth of July weekend. In fact, Steve Hall, Education Director at Parks and Wildlife says boating safety is as easy as one-two-three.

And the first one is wear a life jacket. That would prevent 90% of all fatalities in the water, especially those involving boating accidents.

So, when you don’t have stoplights on the water, and you have no breaks and you’re operating a tonnage of a vessel….yeah…you have to take that just as seriously, if not more seriously, than a vehicle on the highways.

Find boating safety information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website.

That’s our show… We receive support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…working to increase fishing and boating in Texas…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

If you’re a seasoned angler, put your skills to good use.

09—We really encourage the avid angler to introduce fishing to at least one new person a year. And there’d be no better time to do that than during National Fishing and Boating Week…

National Fishing and Boating week is now through June 13th, and it’s a project of the non-profit Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, or RBFF. Frank Peterson is president and CEO. He invites anglers who are passionate about sharing the sport with others to join the Anglers’ Legacy Movement.

12—If they go to our website takemefishing.org, they can join the anglers’ legacy movement. We have over 213-thousand ambassadors around the country who have taken a pledge to introduce fishing to someone new.

On average members of the Anglers’ Legacy movement introduce more than three new people to fishing each year.

12—Another interesting stat on our Ambassador program is that over 70% of the people they introduce to the sport are under the age of 18. So they’re helping to ensure the future of angling and boating in this country.

So introduce someone to fishing this week.

05—That would be a great week to just say, hey, I’m going to do something for young people; I’m going to do something for the sport.

Go to www.takemefishing.org for more information about the Anglers’ Legacy Movement. The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series. For Texas parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is passport to Texas

We’re on the threshold of summer, which means more Texans will be on the water…and they won’t be alone.

:07—I’m Sgt. Chopan with the police department with the Grand Prairie lake Patrol unit. I’m just wanting to check to make sure you have all your safety equipment on board. You have your life jacket?

Lake Police, like Sgt. Chris Chopan, and Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens will be on the water, too.

:06—Lake patrol is sometimes is good because the public likes to see you, whereas when I’m driving in a car they usually don’t want to see me.

Everyone aboard a boat must wear a life jacket.

:09—Do you take the dog out often? Yeah, we’ve got three of them and they all have life vests. Sometimes, it’s amazing, you know, they’ll put lifejackets on their dogs, but they won’t put lifejackets on their kids.

Even people in the water need to think safety first.

:21—Not safe for you to be here, No good. No bueno. Too many boats. Twenty-four feet of water, no life jacket, inflatable swim ring, and we wonder why we have to come pick them up later. I’m almost tempted to pick him up and get him out of there – what do you think? This is not illegal probably, but it sure is dumb.

You can play it safe on the water this summer and still have a boatload of fun as long as you remember that Nobody’s Waterproof… Visit the Texas parks and Wildlife website for more information about boating safety.

That’s our show for today… we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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This is Passport to Texas

It’s illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; the consequences of doing so can be devastating. Just ask Kay Rock.

:15—At three o’clock in the morning, my husband and I were awakened by a policeman and a chaplain knocking at our front door. As soon as I saw them, I knew it was something bad. And the only question I had was, ‘which child is it?

The boat carrying Kay Rock’s 22 year old daughter was struck from behind. The driver of the other boat had been drinking at a lakeside bar…and in an instant, Debbie Rock’s name joined a growing list of boating fatalities.

:28—And I’m sorry, but this is kind of a hard part. Is that Debbie was not just a number on a court docket; and she was not just a number on the coroner’s report. She was a real, real person. And she had a lot to give. And that is one of the reasons that I want to stress the fact that bad things happen to really great people, and they don’t have to.

The choice is yours. You can play it safe on the water this summer and still have a boatload of fun as long as you remember that Nobody’s Waterproof. Visit the Texas parks and Wildlife website to find more information about boating safety.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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