Release posted on 05-27-22 at 12:01 p.m.

The St. Petersburg Police Department and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission teamed up this week to raise public awareness about the simple and effective steps to make boating safer.

With the Memorial Day Weekend marking the unofficial start of summer, now is the time to conduct your check-list to make sure you have all the essential boating safety equipment, which includes life jackets, throwable flotation devices, fire extinguisher, an emergency locator beacon or other visual signaling device, and a sound signaling device, onboard.

When boating you should always:
- Check your safety equipment
- Check the weather forecast
- Tell someone your boating plan
- Remember that driving a boat under the influence is a crime!