Boating Safety: Remain Vigilant while on the Water

Boating is a popular choice of summer activity for groups across the country. Whether your group uses canoes on a winding river, rafts on a whitewater rapid, kayaks on a lake, or motorboats in the open ocean, these precautions will help keep your group safe on the water:

  • Plan your group’s itinerary, specifying where your boats and other vehicles should be and when.

  • Make sure that your group leaders have knowledge about the area, including specific water features: dams, rocks, debris, currents, sandbars, undertows, currents, and riptides. Communicate these dangers to the group, as well as information about dangerous local wildlife, like snakes, snapping turtles, and jellyfish.
  • Chaperones and participants should know how to identify common hazards, and how to react when one is sighted. Stay vigilant for other boats and/or swimmers to avoid collisions.
  • Avoid areas with rapidly moving water, such as rivers or rapids, without an experienced guide.
  • Boating groups should bring whistles, flares, first-aid kits, food, water, sunscreen, waterproof bags, towels, and extra clothing.

Recruit experienced drivers

Recruit only experienced drivers, and place at least one adult spotter in each boat (in addition to the driver). Advise your drivers to avoid high speeds and sharp turns. Take particular care to prevent these common causes of accidents:

  • Operator inexperience
  • Operator inattention
  • Reckless maneuvering (or speeding, in some contexts)
  • Alcohol use

Be observant; watch out for other boats

Watch for other boats, especially slow- and fast-moving boats. Fishing vessels in open water and boats of swimmers and sunbathers anchored at sandbars both tend to be stationary or slow moving. In contrast, individual watercraft—as well as motorboats pulling tubers and skiers—tend to move quickly and turn suddenly. Keep an eye out for both situations.

If your group is taking motorboats, consider bringing paddles, a tow strap, and/or a cell phone in case one of the boats suffers a motor failure. Whether your group plans for a day of tubing or a lazy afternoon canoeing downriver, perform your due diligence to promote safety while your group is on the water.

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Tags: insurance, ministry, donor
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What to Know About Loaning Your Ministry Vehicle
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Tags: coverage, insurance, ministry, car insurance, renting, travel, safety
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Tags: coverage, insurance, ministry, volunteers, mission travel, risk, protection, kidnapping
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Brotherhood Mutual Foundation Kingdom Advancing Grant
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Better Achieve Your Mission in 2023
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Tags: coverage, protect, directors and officers, liability, damages
November 10, 2022
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With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s wise for ministries to evaluate their fire safety plan. Whether your ministry is hosting a holiday party, prepping treats for charity, or running a community kitchen, make sure you’re well-prepared with these tips.

Tags: ministry, protection, insurance, volunteer safety, fire safety, emergency, property
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Tags: ministry, protection, insurance, liability, child protection, volunteer safety
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Anyone who turns on the news, flips through a magazine, or browses the web can see that American society and culture are experiencing rapid transitions. Some ministries have valid concerns that issues surrounding societal shifts may expose them to negative publicity, governmental scrutiny, or litigation.

The questions become: when and how can ministries operate within their deeply held religious beliefs when they may conflict with others’ rights?

Tags: ministry, protection, religious freedom, insurance, liability
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Tags: ministry, cyber security, technology, data, protection
March 16, 2021
Prepare for Severe Spring Storms Now
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When severe storms strike, they can produce high winds and tornadoes. Damaging winds can wreak havoc on your ministry’s property and to buildings. A high wind event can crash debris through your windows, strip your siding, down trees on your parking lot, peel shingles off your roof, and fling back the flashing.

Tags: weather emergency, lightning, storms, safety, protect
February 25, 2021
Catalytic Converter Theft on the Rise: Protect Ministry Vehicles
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Thieves are taking advantage of soaring precious metal prices. Take steps to protect your ministry’s vehicles and property.

Tags: protect, theft, vehicle
February 5, 2021
Avoid Frozen Pipes as Temperatures Plummet
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Tags: frozen, building, pipes, prevent damage
November 23, 2020
COVID-19 and the Christmas Season
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Tags: COVID-19, health, health safety, protect, coronavirus, Christmas, risk management
October 28, 2020
Guidance for Ministries About Boy Scouts' Bankruptcy
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Tags: coverage, protect, liability, damages, youth
October 1, 2020
Applying for PPP Loan Forgiveness
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Organizations that obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding through the CARES Act can have their loans forgiven, turning them into grants. To qualify, each borrower must file a forgiveness application with its PPP lender, proving that it followed the rules. If your church, school, college, or camp meets all the criteria, 100% of its loan can be forgiven.

March 31, 2020
CARES Act: Churches Need to Apply Now
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March 6, 2020
Coronavirus and Your Ministry: Tips for Prevention
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Recently, we learned about two major overseas incidents involving pastors on mission trips. The first incident involved a pastor being hit by a motorcycle while running. The second was a bus accident involving two pastors. The runner and one of the two bus passengers sustained extensive injuries.

Tags: missions, insurance
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Tags: ACA, IRS