OCEAN CITY, Md. - As warmer weather brings more boats back onto the water, the Ocean City Fire Department is training alongside the U.S. Coast Guard to prepare for the kinds of emergencies that can quickly unfold in local waterways.
Crews were on the water this week practicing vessel towing operations near the inlet, working through how to approach a distressed boat, connect safely and guide it out of danger. Officials said the training was also about communication and coordination between agencies before boating traffic increases in the months ahead.
Jeff Aperence with OCFD said towing is a critical skill in Ocean City because of the unique challenges boaters and first responders face on the water.
“Being able to tow a broken down vessel or a distressed vessel is important because the currents move very fast, the wind, there’s a lot of obstructions,” Aperence said. “The inlet has the rocks, the bridge, other boats. We want to get the boat that’s having trouble somewhere safe, as safely as we can.”
Ryan Whittington with OCFD said the department regularly trains with public safety partners including the Coast Guard, Beach Patrol, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Maryland State Police aviation units to make sure operations are seamless when emergencies happen.
“We train on quite the regular basis,” Whittington said. “And the reason for that is we have to ensure a seamless operation.”
Whittington said crews had originally planned to do helicopter hoist operations during the training session, but due to aircraft maintenance, they shifted to vessel towing and communications work instead. He said that still addressed a likely summertime scenario, helping crews prepare for broken down boats that could drift into dangerous areas if they are not quickly brought to safety.
Officials said boating safety remains a major concern in Ocean City, especially as more people begin getting their boats back in the water. OCFD said emergency crews can be called for everything from vessel collisions to propeller strike injuries and shallow water diving incidents.
Whittington said now is the time for boaters to brush up on their skills before summer traffic fills the bays.
“The back bays of Ocean City can be very challenging if you don’t know them,” he said. “Take time. Slow down, get to learn the waterways before you just go out there.”
OCFD is also urging boaters to wear personal flotation devices, carry the required safety equipment and never drink while operating a vessel.