Miami-Dade officials urge boating safety ahead of busy Fourth of July holiday weekend

Miami-Dade officials are urging people to stay safe out on the water as residents across South Florida get set to celebrate America over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

On Thursday morning, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is being joined by victims of boating accidents, including the father of Lucy Fernandez, who was killed in a boating accident in Biscayne Bay in 2022, at a news conference urging the community to stay safe.

Miami-Dade officials said that the event is part of Cava's ongoing effort to promote boater safety, raise awareness and protect everyone who enjoys Miami-Dade County's waterways.

Those efforts also include the creation of a Boater Safety Task Force in April 2025, which brought together community leaders, law enforcement and marine safety advocates for over a year to examine the full landscape of boating safety.

The task force earlier this year held its final meeting and voted on impactful, actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening education, enforcement, legislation and waterway management, according to county officials.

The news conference was expected to begin at 10 a.m.