Dive Flag Awareness Event FL Statewide

[williama]

I am up for some time in the AM Phil Foster Park. I can do 8-9 AM before a 10 AM dive.

Hey guys! I want to help with this flag awareness day. Catefish and I were thinking about going down to phil Foster park and handing out brochures and bumper stickers and anything else possible. I think Phil Foster Park would be great because most of the people that put their boat in there are going to go party at peanut island or they are going out the port of palm beach. There is a lot of good diving just out the inlet so it can be a dangerous area. Which brochures do I need? And if anyone wants to meet up so I can get some bumper stickers or anything let me know. Thanks

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I'd like to try to help over here in SRQ. How can I get a copy of the brochure from the FWC?
Is this it?---->Divers Down Flag Law
That page reads like stereo instructions. It's mostly for "us" divers and not directed toward boaters. Is there another brochure?

Any answer to this question? Is this the information that we will be handing out at the boat ramps? I agree that is aimed more at divers than boaters...and it's also probably a bit too wordy and may not get read thoroughly by the intended audience.

I think the website below had much better information such scuba diver vs free diver and the "boaters should" section. If others agree, I would be willing to create a fact sheet (I tried to figure out a two-fold brochure this morning, but microsoft vista isn't exactly user friendly) to hand out instead. If everyone would rather stick with the FWC print out, that is a-ok too. Just throwing some ideas out there.

** Thanks Randy, but I didn't start the petition... I just put a version of it on-line and it has generated dozens of signatures!

Sheri Daye & Mike Hickey worked with the FWC in 2007 & 2008 and got this whole thing going.

LowVizWiz, Yes The Blue Wild will have the FWC present and of course founder Sheri Daye & Mike Hickey there too. My table will have a dive flag awareness display and petition.

Anyone who wants to sign the petition right now can do so by going to my website's Dive Flag Awareness page. There's a good amount of additional information there as well. Florida Skin Diver

Thanks,

Chad

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

So glad to see all the support. Every year there has been talk about doing something for boaters awareness of dive flags, but sadly it has always been just talk. Looking forward to contributing in some way, possibly at John U Lloyd St. Park.

 

[LowVizWiz]

I'll be at John U Lloyd as well.

 

[fl-diver]

Any answer to this question? Is this the information that we will be handing out at the boat ramps? I agree that is aimed more at divers than boaters...and it's also probably a bit too wordy and may not get read thoroughly by the intended audience.

I think the website below had much better information such scuba diver vs free diver and the "boaters should" section. If others agree, I would be willing to create a fact sheet (I tried to figure out a two-fold brochure this morning, but microsoft vista isn't exactly user friendly) to hand out instead. If everyone would rather stick with the FWC print out, that is a-ok too. Just throwing some ideas out there.

I think there is an ongoing effort with a local FWC officer to design a "brochure" to hand out. I saw a draft the other day. I am assuming the OP will post when it is ready. If not I will post it as soon as I see a final version.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I think there is an ongoing effort with a local FWC officer to design a "brochure" to hand out. I saw a draft the other day. I am assuming the OP will post when it is ready. If not I will post it as soon as I see a final version.

Thanks for the info. I hope it's ready by the 31st.

Do you know if the brochure has anything about free divers vs scuba divers?

I think it's important for boaters to know that there is a difference. They should know free divers spend much of their time on the surface...and that free divers MUST surface immediately and frequently.

 

[DESIGNERDIVER]

I'm diving Boynton that afternoon but will be happy to help in the morning.

I can help out in boynton in the afternoon..................just need the flyers

 

[Divergirl4U]

What flyers are we handing out? I am in; I do believe there is a busy boat ramp east of the intercostal on Sunrise Blvd. or any other place I can be of help I can print some flyers at work if you guys will send me the flyer electronically.

 

[RonFrank]

The issue with boater drivers licensing anywhere is going to be a problem with both the infrastructure to get a license, and even more of an issue with enforcement.

Commercial boats already have this in place, but try and find enforcement out on the ocean without specifically radioing them... it's just not there that I have seen.

FL has a lot of out of state boaters, and no state requires a license that I am aware of for recreational use. However the trailer, and boat must be registered, and licensed.

I think it's not a bad idea, but hardly a quick fix for sure as there are a number of issues that would need addressing.

I wish you all luck with this, and wish I could be there to volunteer. Boater awareness of divers DEFINITELY needs more public attention. Unfortunately the voices of the divers even in FL is a drop in the ocean compared to the number of boats, and recreational boaters.

 

[Divergirl4U]

Recently, our fellow diver, Rob Murphy was struck by a boat while he was diving. The accident caused the loss of both of Rob's legs. There are still boaters that do not understand the DIVE FLAG LAWS. On SATURDAY JANUARY 31,we are organizing the largest DIVE FLAG AWARENESS event to date. It is our hope to have volunteers standing by at EVERY PUBLIC BOAT RAMP in Florida to hand out Brochures from the FWC regarding DIVE FLAG LAWS. We will also ask every boater to SIGN A PETITION started by Chad Carney, urging Governor Crist to declare a Dive Flag Awareness Day here in Florida. We want the media to cover the event in your area. Rob's family will be joining us here in Jupiter to help publicize this event. We will keep track of how many people and boat ramps so I can prepare a press release for the media in your area. IF YOU CAN HELP, email info@scuba-works.com or randy@emeraldcharters.com.
Here is a list of the Boat Ramps we have covered so far with the contact info.


Dive Flag Awareness
31-Jan-09

1 Burt Reynolds Park Jupiter Scuba Works (561) 575-3483
2 Fort DeSoto Park Tampa Bay Chad Carney (727) 423-7775
3 Bay Pines St Pete Chad Carney
4 Seminole Clearwater Chad Carney
5 Lantana Lantana Fl Free Divers (561) 503-0848
6 Curry Park West Palm Laura Rogers need info
7 Jensen Causeway Jensen Beach Deep Six (772) 692-2747
8 Sansprit Park Stuart Bubba, Petra need info
9 Rivergate Port St Lucie Deep Six (772) 692-2747
10 Destin Destin Jim B need info

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