Welcome to the Flotilla 4-5, District 11SR Web Site
2017 Recreational Boater Statistics
- There are nearly 12 million recreational boats registered in the United States.
- 658 people died in recreational boating accidents in 2017. This was down approximately 6% from the prior year.
- 76% of the victims drowned. Of these, 85% were not wearing a life jacket.
- 81% of the deaths occurred on boats where the operator had never taken a boating safety course.
- 80% of the deaths involved vessels smaller than 21' in length.
- Alcohol use was the leading factor in 19% of recreational boating deaths.
This report reminds us again that we are involved in a life and death endeavor. The safety messages and information that we are promoting are aimed squarely at the causes of RBS casualties. But clearly, there is much work left for us to do.
658 people didn't return to their families last year, and 2,629 others suffered serious injuries. It is part of our job to make sure that every recreational boater understands that life jackets save lives; that taking a boating safety course makes our waterways safer; and that intoxicated use of a boat should be no more acceptable than driving an automobile while under the influence
About The Burbank Flotilla
Flotilla 04-05 is always looking for new members to join our wonderful organization. Our flotilla offers a diversity of opportunities that is nearly unique outside of our division. This is because we are equidistance between the major port base, Sector LA/LB, the small boat station, Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor, and the Los Angeles County inland lakes. This provides for a gigantic range of opportunities for our members to collaborate with other units both in the Auxiliary and the Gold Side (active duty and reserve).
We have members that regularly augment at Sector LA/LB, assisting with commercial vessel examinations, conducting security patrols and offering translating services. Members also crew-up on Auxiliary boats that assist Station Channel Islands Harbor with training and readiness missions as well as serving as Aids To Navigation Verifiers. In the LA lakes, we assist with public safety tasks, including towing broken boats and rescuing drowning boaters. In all of these locations, as well as closer to home, we provide Vessel Safety Checks, and public outreach. We also reach out to community businesses, associations and civic organizations to partner for a safer boating community. To achieve that end, we team up with other flotillas in our division to offer public education classes as well as to help staff Public Affairs booths or displays.
We are always looking for more people who are motivated to help us make the boating world safer. That includes partners who help us ensure the public have access to maritime safety information, boaters who would like to learn how to be safer or more proficient boaters, and, of course, new members.
ABOUT THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, all-volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. The Auxiliary was created by an Act of Congress in 1939, and has grown to over 26 thousand members who daily support the Coast Guard in all its non-military, and non-law-enforcement missions. We have members and units in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.
Auxiliary members conduct Marine Observation Patrols on local waterways, assist in Search and Rescue, teach Boating Safety Classes, conduct free Vessel Safety Checks for the public, provide Boating Safety Information to dealers, as well as many other activities related to Recreational Boating Safety.
The Coast Guard considers the Auxiliary its primary resource for recreational boating safety outreach and prevention, and each Coast Guard district around the nation has established a senior officer and staff to for coordination and intigration between the active-duty Coast Guard and the various Auxiliary units in that district.
And in many inland portions of the country, where the majority of U.S. recreational boating occurs on lakes and rivers, the Auxiliary is the sole Coast Guard presence!
But the Auxiliary is more than recreational boating safety we regularly serve alongside our active-duty shipmates serving as communications watchstanders, uninspected passenger vessel inspectors, Marine Safety Inspectors, Public Affairs Personnel, Aids-to-Navigation Verifiers, Food Service Specialist (on cutters too), and many other jobs.
In fact, there are nearly two dozen "qualifications" open to Auxiliarists willing to put in the time and training. Collectively, Auxiliarists volunteer over 4.5 million hours per year and complete nearly 500,000 missions – a true force multiplier for the Coast Guard!
Membership in the Auxiliary is open to persons 17 years of age and older. We are organized into 16 districts nationwide, comprised of 171 divisions with approximately 980 flotillas. No matter where you live, there is a flotilla near you. Find the unit nearest your Zip Code by clicking on "Units" at the top of this page.
If you are interested in joining, but need some more reasons, visit our Recruiting page, or, find a flotilla and talk to members local to you.
PLEASE LEARN MORE ABOUT US BY EXPLORING OUR SITE. IT'S FOR EVERYONE!