MIAMI (WSVN) - South Florida first responders are on watch this Memorial Day weekend to make sure the thousands of people who are hitting the water stay safe.
Whether it’s on the beach or on a boat, City of Miami Fire Rescue and local law enforcement partners want revelers to know the basic safety rules so they and their loved ones are safe.
“We’re going to be patrolling the waters throughout Biscayne Bay and be ready to serve at a moment’s notice,” said Miami Fire Rescue spokesperson Erik Cordo.
Fire rescue officials said it’s imperative that holiday weekend crowds celebrate safely.
“If you’re going to be going out, you’re going to want your relatives or close friends know where you are going to be,” said Cordo. “You want to know more or less when you’re going to be coming back and who you’re going to be with.”
Cordo advises boaters to be smart and cautious when on the water, to make sure to have a sober captain and ensure there is a life jacket for each person on board.
In addition, as with any South Florida summer, it’s important to plan for rolling storms
“As we’ve been expecting the rain in the last late afternoons, you want to make sure you plan accordingly and maybe back on shore by the time the storms start rolling in,” said Cordo.
For those who plan to fire up the grill, officials remind them to make sure the charcoals are extinguished before heading back home.
Boaters heading back to land need to be aware of other boaters.
“You’re always better to be driving in a defensive manner,” said Cordo. “You want to be cognizant of your surroundings, you want to be make sure that, not only is the captain that’s operating the boat vigilant, but also everybody else on board are also looking around for possible other boaters in the area.”
It’s all part of what officials hope is a safe Memorial Day weekend spent remembering and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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