Boating safety emphasized ahead of Memorial Day weekend as incidents and traffic on the water increase, FWC says

Captain Eduardo Barreto of Sea Tow is patrolling the waters off Key Biscayne ahead of Memorial Day weekend, where increased boat traffic is making safety a primary concern.

Barreto said his boats were instrumental in helping save people from a boat explosion near Haulover Sandbar on May 9, an incident that sent nearly a dozen people to the hospital. "There were many people injured, unfortunately," Barreto said.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report found that the state had 694 reportable boating incidents last year, an increase from the previous two years.

Barreto said that many of these incidents are preventable, but they require proper preparation before heading out on the water. The most common calls he receives are for boats that are out of fuel or have a dead battery. He warned that low fuel is not safe, noting that a near-empty tank is essentially the same as an empty one. "In a boat, a quarter means empty," Barreto said.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also emphasized how dangerous overcrowded boats can be, especially if there are not enough life vests for everyone on board. "Never overload your vessel. Too many passengers or uneven weight distribution can create dangerous situations quickly," a representative said.

"Most boating emergencies start with small preventable problems," said Erika Benitez of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Barreto stressed that safety starts before leaving the docks. He recommends life vests that work like a parachute: "This is not inflated yet. It has a gas tank so you can inflate it automatically. Just pull here, and it inflates," he said.

He also relies on a radio in the boat in case he cannot use his phone. "If you're in an area with no cell service, you can always hail for assistance on channel 16," he said.

If a boater gets stranded, Barreto carries 5-gallon jugs of gas for emergency responses. He noted that while gas is expensive at the marina, "it will be even more expensive if he has to bring it to you".