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While the unit patrols the area’s waterways year-round, it steps things up during the summer boating season.
In June, its commander, Sgt. Peter Lapak, told The Norwalk Hour the unit had had to respond to nearly a dozen accidents since the year’s start, most of them involving boats that had run aground.
Lapak told the The Norwalk Hour he found it odd that, in the era of sophisticated navigating equipment, this kind of mishap still happens.
He blamed it on operator inattention, according to The Norwalk Hour report.
Educating the public about other safety issues, such as having properly fitting life jackets, is also in the unit’s wheelhouse.
It also has a scuba team for rescues and other emergencies.
The unit frequently works with the Coast Guard and other public and private organizations to get the message out.
Besides life jackets, the Coast Guard also checks vessels’ registration and numbering, navigation lights, ventilation, fire extinguishers, distress signals (flares, horns, etc.) and battery cover and connections.
All of these things are required by state and federal laws, and, if they’re not up to snuff, the boat’s operator could be issued a citation.
For more information about the Marine Unit, call (203) 854-3077.
To read the full The Norwalk Hour’s story, click here.
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