NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – For the past 15 years, Ken Clements with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office has been with the marine unit. On the Fourth of July holiday, he went out on the St. Marys River with News4JAX photographer Ciara Earrey.
“We’re out here patrolling the waterways around Fernandina, Nassau County. Just trying to make sure everybody stays safe today and has a good time. If there are any incidents, people have problems on boats, we can go help them. That can be from a sinking boat to a medical call on a boat, heatstroke,” Clements said.
And in the past month, Clements and others in the marine unit have responded to numerous calls like one where the boat operator was thrown from his boat and the boat motored on without him. He was eventually rescued by the marine unit.
“A lot of our calls for service in the last couple of weeks have happened at night. A lot of people do not boat at night, so when you boat at night, especially tonight on Fourth of July fireworks, make sure all your navigation lights are working, and you have all your safety equipment. I like to give everybody on board, a throw cushion a whistle or a sound-producing device. Wear your kill switch,” Clements said.
Clements said if your boat sinks stay with it if you can because it’s much easier to spot you with the boat instead of floating alone in the water. But the most important thing about boating safety is life jackets for everyone. On Tuesday, when they spotted boats with kids wearing like jackets they pulled over that vessel but instead of a ticket the kids were given a t-shirt for supporting boating safety.
And obviously, get a designated driver if you plan on drinking while you watch fireworks on Tuesday night.