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Quickly inspect for damage and passenger well-being after a boating accident. Determine if the ship is seaworthy and prepare to abandon if necessary. Establish a leader and prepare a checklist in advance to avoid panic and ensure everyone knows what to do. Call the coast guard for help.
Responding calmly during a boating accident can literally mean the difference between life and death, and there are a number of steps you can take to help. The most important factor is to inspect as quickly as possible for damage to the hull of the boat and the well-being of other passengers, because the first few minutes after a boating accident are critical. Once any passenger requiring immediate first aid has been attended to, individuals should determine if the ship is still seaworthy. If not, immediate preparations to abandon ship should be made, which include gathering plenty of food, medical equipment, and clean water. A call to the coast guard should also be given top priority after a boating accident, because the first damage inspection may not reveal hidden dangers that may develop later.
Decisions made in a hurry during a crisis are often the ones that kill passengers. For example, if a ship hits a reef and is sure not to stay afloat, there are a number of safety precautions that must be completed in quick succession. Skipping even one of these steps, like remembering to take clean water, could mean the difference between a few days of rough seas and a nightmare scenario. Whatever happens, it is essential to always stay focused on the best course of action for the entire crew.
Establishing a leader during a boating accident is an equally important decision, because passengers may have different opinions about the right thing to do. For example, a crew member with a minor cut may be inclined to see first aid immediately, and everyone’s attention can easily be drawn to a much more urgent situation. Someone taking on a leadership role can often be all a panicked crew needs to swing into action, and the sooner you decide, the better. Often this person would be the captain of the boat himself as he would have the most experience handling situations during a boating accident, but if the captain gets injured or loses his temper, someone needs to take that responsibility quickly.
Perhaps the best way to avoid turbulence during a boating accident is to prepare a checklist in advance, so each passenger can quickly determine the correct steps to take in an emergency. People will react very differently in problematic situations, so this simple step could easily help focus everyone’s thought process when it would otherwise be impossible. While it may seem trivial, having written instructions is just as effective as a leader barking orders, so this should never be taken for granted.
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