2013-01-28 14:01:20 - ‘Water Safety Begins With You’ campaign aims to reduce number of water sports-related accidents and fatalities

January 28, 2013
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the government authority charged with regulating, coordinating and supervising all aspects of the maritime sector in Dubai, has announced the recent launch of its new awareness campaign titled “Water Safety Begins with You”, as part of its mission to ensure the highest standard of safety and maintain a vibrant and safe maritime environment in Dubai. Developed in line with best international practices, the first-of-its-kind initiative aims to prevent water sports-related accidents and fatalities and maintain safety within the water sports community through simple steps that can save people’s lives.

The new campaign highlights various DOs and DON’Ts when driving sea vessels, focusing mainly on wearing of lifejackets and inspection of

personal safety equipment, vessel communications, sailing areas, weather and water conditions. In addition, the campaign also provides instructions on how to check batteries, lines, fuel, navigation kits, GPS, fire extinguishers and other equipment used in various water sports.

As part of ongoing efforts to promote Dubai as a safe maritime hub, the “Water Safety Begins with You” campaign reinforces DMCA’s commitment to raise public awareness about best safety practices and measures that need to be adopted to avoid accidents such as drowning and therefore ensure safety in various water sports activities in Dubai’s coasts.
Amer Ali, Executive Director, Dubai Maritime City Authority, said: “Dubai has positioned itself as an attractive destination for water sports enthusiasts and vessel operators, which in turn has created new challenges with regards to maritime safety. DMCA will continue to organize integrated initiatives and campaigns to raise greater awareness about best practices that need to be adopted to prevent accidents, while reducing water-polluting activities of sea vessels. This is in accordance with Dubai’s maritime strategy to develop and regulate maritime operations and ultimately create a vibrant and safe maritime environment, in line with the vision and directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”

“The new campaign reflects the remarkable success that we have achieved last year through the many wide-scope awareness and regulatory campaigns, which have dramatically contributed to the decrease in the number of fatalities. We expect the ‘Water Safety Begins with You’ campaign to create a positive change within the water sports community, by encouraging water sports enthusiasts to follow the right precautionary measures that can ensure their personal safety and the preservation of the maritime environment,” concluded Ali.