[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5358-5359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2217]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2004-16978]


Workshop on Strategies To Increase Personal Flotation Device 
(PFD) Wear in Recreational Boating at the Miami International Boat Show

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard and the Personal Flotation Device 
Manufacturers Association (PFDMA) are sponsoring a workshop to bring 
representatives of all appropriate segments of the recreational marine 
community together to explore any and all means of increasing PFD wear 
while boating. The workshop will be open to the public.

DATES: The workshop will meet on Friday, February 13, 2004, from 3 p.m. 
to 5 p.m. The workshop may close early if all business is finished.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will meet in room A201 (in the A Lobby), Miami 
Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach, FL. 
This notice is available on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov and at 
http://uscgboating.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Kanehl, Project Manager, 
Office of Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard, telephone 202-267-0976, fax 
202-267-

[[Page 5359]]

4285 or Bernice McArdle, Executive Director, Personal Flotation Device 
Manufacturers Association, telephone 312-946-6200, fax 312-946-0388. If 
you have questions on viewing material in the docket, call Andrea M. 
Jenkins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, Department of 
Transportation, telephone 202-366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard is 
responsible for carrying out the National Recreational Boating Safety 
Program. A review of the 2002 Coast Guard Boating Safety statistics 
shows that the 5,705 boating accidents resulted in 750 fatalities and 
4,062 injuries. The 750 fatalities reverse a downward trend and are at 
their highest level since 1998. Seventy percent of the 750 fatalities 
were drowning victims (524 out of 750); and nearly 85% of the victims 
who drowned were not wearing their PFD. Additionally, of the 524 
fatalities due to drowning, 254 were on vessels known to be less than 
16 feet in length and 388 were on vessels known to be less than 21 feet 
in length. (Note: 68 more drowning fatalities were on vessels of 
unspecified length.) For the past five years, we have utilized an 
independent contractor to perform observational surveys of PFD wear at 
over 120 sites nationwide during the primary boating season. 
Unfortunately, the results of these surveys indicate that the vast 
majority of adults do not wear their PFDs while boating. Therefore, we 
are sponsoring a workshop to bring representatives of all appropriate 
segments of the recreational marine community together to explore any 
and all means of increasing PFD wear while boating.
    The workshop will be in a panel format. The panelists were selected 
based on area of marine community involvement, and will address 
relevant issues regarding PFD wear, as well as issues and questions 
raised by attendees at the workshop. We plan to prepare minutes of the 
workshop discussions and distribute them to everyone who registers 
attendance at the workshop by signing the attendance list at the 
workshop. You may also obtain a copy of the minutes from the persons 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Agenda of Workshop

    The agenda includes the following:
    (1) Introduction of the panel members and others.
    (2) Discussion of prepared issues including breakdown of PFD wear 
segment, percentage of PFD wear among groups, attitudes of anglers/
hunters, PFD wear studies, challenges, opportunities, actions taken to 
improve wear rates, update on PFD design, wearability, performance 
characteristics, comfort, etc.
    (3) Discussion of issues and questions raised by attendees at the 
workshop.
    (4) Conclusion.

Procedural

    The meeting is open to the public. Please note that the workshop 
may close early if all business is finished.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
the persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as 
possible.

    Dated: January 27, 2004.
Kenneth A. Ward,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting, Director of Operations Policy.
[FR Doc. 04-2217 Filed 2-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P