Monday, July 23, 2018

Why not take charge of your own survival?

So the Duck Boat tragedy is, indeed, a tragedy.

But nearly all the survivors have the same story.

"No one told us to put on our life preservers" (video with ad)

WTF?

If the boat is swamping...taking on water in high waves.....put yer life preserver on, or at LEAST have it in your hands.

"Keep your seats" was the order...
Fuck that. My kids would be in life preservers, and I'd have on in my arms, at least.

I hate to say this, but Darwin visited here. 

3 comments:

Peteforester said...

If you're EVER caught in a situation like this, where you're INSIDE a foundering vessel, don't, don't DON'T put on your life jacket until you're OUTSIDE! If your life jacket's on and the vessel goes down, the compartment you're in fills with water, and the life jacket does what it's supposed to do; it FLOATS. At that point, you're pinned against the overhead. When this happens, you're DONE. In the military, the people who are tasked with a ship's final affairs before abandoning wear inflatable life jackets strapped to their waists for this very reason; they won't float they're inflated.

That being said, why the "captain of the duck boat didn't have the people ready the life jackets is beyond me.

My biggest question; HOW did that boat get by the Coast Guard inspection before being allowed to operate as a commercial vessel??? That thing was a DEATH TRAP, with only one way out when the thing flooded!

Suz said...

I heard one lady say on TV the day after it happened that the Captain told folks not to put on their life jackets, that they wouldn't need them. First thing I thought was "now, there is a lawsuit material"!! The second was I couldn't believe folks listened to the guy.
I would have been putting mine on, along with any kiddos I had!

Old NFO said...

Pete is right, unless it's an inflatable, THEN put it on but don't inflate until out of the situation and in the water.