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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2002
PR-190-02
www.nyc.gov


MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, POLICE COMMISSIONER RAYMOND W. KELLY AND PARKS COMMISSIONER
ADRIAN BENEPE GIVE WATER SAFETY TIPS TO NEW YORKERS


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Captain Kenneth Kelleher of the NYPD Harbor Unit, and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe today provided water safety tips for New Yorkers. They made their announcement at Orchard Beach in the Bronx after a boating accident in Little Neck Bay on Thursday night left two people missing and one person in critical condition.

"The summer is in full swing and water sports are a lot of fun but can become dangerous when people are irresponsible," Mayor Bloomberg said. "Boating while intoxicated is a crime and can have consequences just as deadly as drinking and driving. The Police Department will be looking out for BWI and we will strictly enforce our zero tolerance policy. Also, people must remember that they can only swim in pools or off beaches when lifeguards are on duty. Summer is a great time of year in New York, but failure to use common sense and follow these guidelines can turn summer fun into summer tragedy."

"Every summer too many families have to learn the tragic lesson that alcohol and boats are a deadly combination," Commissioner Kelly said. "Don't let it happen to you. Don't drink and boat. We also want to caution parents to watch their children closely while they're swimming. Turning your attention away at the wrong moment could mean the difference between life and death. And when you swim, never swim alone."

"Swimming at the City's 14 miles of beaches and 53 outdoor pools is a great way to cool off in the summer," Commissioner Benepe said. "At Parks it is our job to make sure that people are safe both in and out of the water. To help us do our job, people need to remember to always be cautious when swimming and to only enter the water when a lifeguard is on duty. Personal responsibility is key: people who cannot swim should not go into deep water, and parents and caregivers should always watch their children at all times."

The NYPD harbor unit aggressively enforces Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) laws and routinely establishes checkpoints through the waters surrounding the City. The same policy which allows the City to seize the cars of drunk drivers also allows the City to seize the cars of those who boat while intoxicated. Since February 1999 when the City's drunk driving forfeiture policy was instituted, 5,460 cars have been seized, including 647 this year. Fourteen percent of the 5,460 cars seized have been returned to the owners through a settlement policy that mandates treatment and counseling in exchange for the return of the seized vehicles. The Courts have consistently sustained the City's forfeiture policy, most recently by the New York State Court of Appeals.

The Parks Department offers the following water safety guidelines:

The City's beaches, which span 14 miles, are open daily until Labor Day. Beaches include Orchard Beach in the Bronx; Brighton Beach, Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn; Rockaway Beach in Queens; and Midland Beach, South Beach, and Wolfe's Pond Beach in Staten Island. The City's 53 outdoor pools are also open daily until Labor Day. Both City beaches and pools are free to the public. Beaches are open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. while and the pools are open 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Swimming is prohibited when beaches and pools are closed.


www.nyc.gov

Contact: Edward Skyler / Jerry Russo
(212) 788-2958
  Michael O'Looney, NYPD
(646) 610-6700
Jane Rudolph, Parks
(212) 360-1311