DARIEN SAIL & POWER SQUADRON PRESENTS: FLARE-UP!
Saturday, May 17th, 2008 - Weed Beach, Darien - 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
FLARE-UP! Scheduled for May 17th, 2008 at Weed Beach
An Opportunity to Fire Expired Flares Legally, Safely
Marine flares required to be carried on most boats are rarely fired in non-emergency situations. Firing a marine safety flare is like calling "911" or pulling a fire-alarm box - it is serious business for public service agencies, especially the Coast Guard. As a result, very few people have ever fired an emergency flare.
On Saturday, May 17th 2008, at Weed Beach, between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. it will be possible to fire marine flares as part of a training event, organized by the Darien Sail & Power Squadron and the Darien Advisory Commission on Coastal Waters.
Permission to fire flares during this time period will be granted by the Coast Guard, as safety briefings and training will be presented by members of the Darien Squadron.
Emergency flares are useful to let a rescue party know where the boat is actually located. Even though radios are used to report problems, rescue crews need to know just where the boat really is located, in the dark, or along unfamiliar shores. If no radio is on board, the flare serves to let other boaters or people on shore know that there is a problem of a boat sinking or that someone is severely injured and needs assistance.
Since the use of a flare is so important in directing rescue services, they are not permitted to be fired on an individual basis or "just for fun," except for special training periods such as the May 17th event.
The Darien Advisory Commission on Coastal Waters and the Darien Sail & Power Squadron sponsored a FLARE-UP! event three years ago that attracted many boaters to Weed Beach. Since most flares contain expiration dates of three years, the FLARE-UP! event presents an opportunity to dispose of older flares.
Instruction on the use of fire extinguishers will also be available, and there will be an opportunity to use fire extinguishers on a real oil and gas fire.
Boaters are invited to bring flares and fire extinguishers to Weed Beach during the time of this exercise, so that they might use this important emergency equipment.
Further information concerning the May 17th FLARE-UP! can be obtained by
contacting the Squadron (656-1129 or dsps@optonline.net). Owners of expired
flares who are not able to attend the event should also contact the Squadron
to arrange to donate flares for use in this training exercise.
DIRECTIONS
Directions from I-95 Eastbound: Take Exit 10, turning right (south)
past ramp traffic light and
onto Noroton Avenue.Continue on Noroton Avenue past traffic lights at Maple
and at the next
light,turn right (west) onto the Post Road (Rt 1). At the next light turn
left (south) onto Nearwater
Lane.At the entrance to Noroton Bay, bear right to continue to Weed Beach,
do dot continue on Nearwater through the set of stone pillars) - to the site
of Flare-Up!
Directions from I-95 Westbound: Take Exit 10 and proceed to the first
traffic light.Turn left
(south) onto Noroton Avenue and proceed per instructions above.
Directions from Merritt Parkway: Take Exit 37 (Darien) and head south
on Rt. 124 (Mansfield
Avenue) to it's end, where it meets the Post Road (Rt. 1) in the Town of Darien.Turn
right at the
traffic light onto the Post Road (Rt. 1 ) and head west. After several miles
you'll pass two churches
on your left and one on your right. At the next traffic light turn left (south)
onto Nearwater Lane.
Proceed per directions above.
