Jamaica Bay Forum

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BoatU.S. gives 11 "Lifesaving Awards" to captains for 2009 acts Comment Email Print Share Special to ESPNOutdoors.com

ALEXANDRIA, Va., — It's the nature of their business, but it's not their job.

BoatUS

TowBoatUS Jamaica Bay, N.Y., Capt. Jack Schachner was able to safely remove seven non-swimming passengers from this burning vessel before it sunk. When recreational boaters have a dead battery, run out of gas, or require a gentle tug off a stubborn shoal, the men and women who captain the nation's largest fleet of on-the-water towboats respond 24-hours a day or night, much like an auto club for boat owners.

However, with over 600 towing vessels spread across America's waterways, the law of averages dictates that life-threatening emergencies are an occasional event that unfolds on the seas and lakes around them.

As with any heroic act, the captain is faced with the split-second decision on whether to step in and try to save the individual or to call for help.

BoatU.S. Towing Services honored 11 of its TowBoatU.S. and Vessel Assist captains with its annual BoatU.S. "Lifesaving Award" at a ceremony that capped off the group's annual conference held recently in Arlington, VA.

"When lives were at stake these captains didn't blink, ultimately saving 34 lives," said U.S. Coast Guard Chief of Search and Rescue Capt. David McBride, who attended the event. "Because these professional captains were on the water, they were able to render critical assistance to fellow mariners when help was needed."
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