000
NOUS42 KCHS 240900
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-250900-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT FRI MAY 24 2013

...NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK TOPIC OF THE DAY...BOATING UNDER THE
INFLUENCE...

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON THE WATER.
BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AFFECTS JUDGMENT...VISION...BALANCE
AND COORDINATION. THESE IMPAIRMENTS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF
BEING INVOLVED IN A BOATING ACCIDENT...BOTH FOR PASSENGERS AND
BOAT OPERATORS. ALCOHOL IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ABOUT A THIRD
OF ALL RECREATIONAL BOATING FATALITIES.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO OPERATE ANY BOAT OR WATERCRAFT WHILE UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS IN EVERY STATE. PENALTIES CAN
INCLUDE FINES...SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF YOUR DRIVERS
LICENSE...AND EVEN JAIL TIME.

EVERY BOATER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF BOATING UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. TO LEARN MORE...VISIT THE NATIONAL
SAFE BOATING COUNCIL ON LINE AT...

WWW.SAFE BOATING COUNCIL.ORG.

BEFORE HEADING OUT ON THE WATER REMEMBER TO CHECK NOAA WEATHER
RADIO ALL HAZARDS...FOR THE LATEST MARINE FORECASTS...ADVISORIES AND
WARNINGS.

PLEASE HAVE A SAFE BOATING SEASON.

$$

000
NOUS42 KCHS 231949
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-240800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
349 PM EDT THU MAY 23 2013

...JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST SOCIAL MEDIA TOWN HALL...

WHEN...TUESDAY MAY 28...7 TO 8 PM.
WHERE...ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN CHARLESTON WILL BE HOSTING OUR FIRST TOWN HALL MEETING USING
TWITTER AND FACEBOOK...AND WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO JOIN US.

OUR METEOROLOGIST WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
CONCERNING THE BASICS ABOUT HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS. TO FIND US ON
FACEBOOK AND TWITTER...JUST SEARCH FOR...NWS CHARLESTON SC.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.


$$

000
NOUS42 KCHS 230900
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-240900-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT THU MAY 23 2013

...NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK CONTINUES WITH THE TOPIC OF
THUNDERSTORM SAFETY...

THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE A DANGEROUS AND FAST DEVELOPING HAZARD FOR THE
MARINER. THEY CAN BE ACCOMPANIED BY LIGHTNING STRIKES...STRONG AND
OFTEN TIMES SHIFTING WINDS...RAPIDLY BUILDING SEAS...AS WELL AS
PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINS REDUCING VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO. SOME
STORMS CAN ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY WATERSPOUTS.

BOATERS SHOULD ALWAYS USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN THUNDERSTORM CONDITIONS
EXIST AND HAVE A PLAN OF ESCAPE.

MARINERS ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AS THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO REACH PORT
QUICKLY. IF POSSIBLE YOU MAY HAVE TO RIDE OUT THE THUNDERSTORM.

HERE ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS TO USE IF THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR...

REDUCE YOUR VESSELS SPEED.

MAKE SURE ALL ARE WEARING THEIR LIFE JACKET.

TURN ON ALL RUNNING LIGHTS.

HEAD FOR THE NEAREST SHORE IF POSSIBLE. IF CAUGHT STAY BELOW DECK
IF YOU CAN...AND AWAY FROM ALL METAL OBJECTS.

KEEP BILGES FREE OF WATER.

IF THE ENGINE FAILS...TRAIL A SEA ANCHOR ON A LINE FROM THE BOW TO KEEP
THE BOAT HEADED INTO THE WAVES.

ULTIMATELY...BOATING SAFETY BEGINS ASHORE WITH PLANNING AND TRAINING.

KEEP IN MIND THAT MOST THUNDERSTORMS ARE USUALLY BRIEF...LASTING NO MORE
THAN 30 TO 60 MINUTES IN MOST CASES. SO WAITING OUT THE STORM IN PORT IS
BETTER THAN GETTING CAUGHT OFFSHORE.

$$

000
NOUS42 KCHS 220900
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-230900-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

...NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK CONTINUES WITH THE TOPIC OF
HYPOTHERMIA...

WEARING A PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE OR LIFE JACKET IN THE WATER IS
THE KEY TO SURVIVAL. THESE WILL ALLOW YOU TO FLOAT WITH A MINIMUM
OF ENERGY EXPENDED AND ALLOWS YOU TO FIGHT HYPOTHERMIA IN THE WATER.
BUT YOU MUST REMEMBER TO UTILIZE THE HEAT ESCAPE LESSENING
POSITION...ALSO KNOWN AS HELP.

HYPOTHERMIA IS A CONDITION IN WHICH THE CORE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW
THE REQUIRED TEMPERATURE FOR NORMAL METABOLISM AND BODY FUNCTIONS.
THIS OCCURS AT 95 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IF EXPOSED TO COLD THE INTERNAL
MECHANISMS OF YOU BODY ARE UNABLE TO REPLENISH THE HEAT THAT IS
BEING LOST...AND A DROP IN YOUR CORE TEMPERATURE CAN OCCUR. AS BODY
TEMPERATURE DECREASES...CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS OCCUR SUCH AS
SHIVERING AND MENTAL CONFUSION SINCE HEAT IS LOST MORE QUICKLY IN
WATER THAN ON LAND.

A WATER TEMPERATURE OF 50 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT CAN OFTEN LEADS TO DEATH
IN ONE HOUR IF HYPOTHERMIA OCCURS...AND AT WATER TEMPERATURES NEAR
FREEZING CAN LEAD TO DEATH IN AS LITTLE AS 15 MINUTES. EVEN WATER AT
A SEEMINGLY WARM TEMPERATURE...SUCH AS 79 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT...AFTER
A LONG EXPOSURE CAN ALSO LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA.

TO HELP IN PREVENTING HYPOTHERMIA SHOULD YOU BECOME SUBMERGED IN THE
WATER...HUDDLE TOGETHER WITH OTHERS WITH ALL WEARING THEIR LIFE JACKET.
IF YOU ARE ALONE...MAKE YOUR BODY AS SMALL AS YOU CAN...WRAPPING
YOURSELF IN THE LIFE JACKET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. KEEP YOUR HEAD OUT
OF THE WATER.

$$