March 18, 2012 – In an effort to promote better safety on the water, DiMeo recently teamed up with the Coast Guard and hosted a Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Day for local fishermen.
The event, held at the Marshfield airport, provided an opportunity for fishermen, charter boat operators, and other mariners to climb aboard a Coast Guard response boat and view an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter up close. Coast Guard personnel demonstrated how to use flares, de-watering pumps, and survival suits, and talked about the life-saving techniques they use during rescue operations and responding to emergencies off the coast of Massachusetts, which can happen on a weekly basis.
Commercial fishing remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the country, with about 46 fishermen dying on the job every year, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The most recent death off local waters occurred last Nov. 28, east of Cape Cod. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter picked up a fisherman who had apparently suffered a heart attack.
Read the complete story from The Boston Globe.