Hello Fishers,
Let’s talk about safety. At our Board meeting this past week the club officers discussed ways to support and encourage safety during our outings. As we discussed this topic we were reminded that good safety begins with prevention. Next is being prepared to respond if there is an accident.
We all understand that being active in the outdoors and on the water has inherent risks. There is no way to make it perfectly “safe”. However we know that certain practices will help reduce the risk of an accident or reduce the severity of one. The following is our recommended “OFF Outings Safety Code”. From now on your club’s leaders and outings hosts are going to promote this code in the planning and communication of club events, particularly outings. As an overarching principle we say:
Safety is your personal responsibility and we look out for each other.
Recommended safe practices for all members participating in fishing events:
Have and wear a personal floatation device.
Always have a snugly tightened waist belt when wearing waders.
Have an emergency whistle on you.
Keep a First Aid Kit in your vehicle and boat.
Debarb all hooks!
Keep a blanket and a change of clothes in your vehicle.
Have a cell phone on you and keep it dry. Or have a waterproof 2-way radio.
Make sure you let another club member know where you are going.
Learn CPR
Communication is Key to Safety
We also discussed ways to better communicate on the water at outings. We’ve landed on this idea. Two-way radios are a great safety tool for making sure people know where you are or if you need help. And of course, they are great for sharing real time fishing info out on the water. You may already have one of these devices. You just need to make sure it's a GRMS compatible variety. We are encouraging members to consider purchasing a set; you can get a single, two-pack, or three-pack.