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Marine Unit wrapping up another busy season by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 7 | Friday, October 11, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The Halton Regional Police Service's Marine Unit had no shortage of work during the recent boating season -- it answered more than 100 calls for service by late August. There were more than 30 calls for assistance from boaters who had run out of fuel, crashed their vessels onto rocks, were stalled by dead batteries and overheated engines, experiencing medical distress, or had vessels that caught fire or were taking on water. When not assisting those in trouble, the Marine Unit enforced boating safety regulations by conducting more than 600 inspections. These inspections resulted in 300 warnings and 38 charges for equipment or licensingrelated deficiencies. "Although licensing was gradually introduced more than 10 years ago, we still encounter vessel operators without possession of a PCOC (Pleasure Craft Operator Card) or boaters cruising the waters without a sufficient number of personal flotation devices for the number of passengers they carry," said Halton Marine Unit Sgt. Paul Csanyi. The officer said the primary function of the unit is to promote boating safety, which is accomplished through a combination of education and enforcement. To that end, the officers conduct both courtesy and enforcement inspection on vessels. They look for compliance with safety equipment, licensing, alcohol consumption, controlled drugs and substance possession and smuggling. The unit also serves as a search-and-rescue asset to the Canadian Coast Guard. These types of calls involve boats that are overdue at a destination, flare sightings, abandoned boats, people in the water, collisions, missing people and other marine distress calls. Last summer, Metroland West's Director of Distribution Charlene Hall witnessed the marine unit at work when the boat she was in rushed to the aid of a vessel whose engine had failed. Hall said they contacted the Coast Guard and were directed to leave the boat but bring the people safely ashore. "We couldn't believe it. We wouldn't leave the boat for someone to be hit by or let it run aground with a full tank of gas. We hung up and called 911 and within minutes the Halton Police Marine Unit was there and was amazingly caring about the safety of everyone," Hall wrote in an email. The marine unit has three vessels, including a 17-foot Boston Whaler, a 26-foot Boston Whaler and a 40-foot search and rescue vessel. Four full-time marine officers, a unit supervisor and a handful of previous members, who are called upon as needed, staff the unit. While cruising around Lake Ontario may sound like an ideal job to some, Csanyi points out working on the water can be quite challenging. "Weather is perhaps the most unpredictable factor, which challenges the skill and courage of the officers as well as the capability and reliability of the equipment," he explained. "Very few distress calls or calls for assistance occur when the weather is pleasant and the lake is flat. "Inclement weather and nighttime searches can pose serious risks to the marine crew, which they are trained for." Residents are reminded when boating, they must follow the Safe Boating Guide for the class of vessel being operated; be aware of changing weather; wear a personal flotation device; and don't drink and boat. Shhhh... Oakville's Best Kept Secret. Unique one of a kind piece! 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