CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard is incorporating this week’s National Safe Boating Week into the overall North American Safe Boating Campaign.

The North American Safe Boating Campaign is an effort to encourage boaters into volunteering to wear lifejackets at all times on the water and to routinely follow safe boating practices.

The season long campaign will focus on its key slogans: “You’re in command - wear your life-jacket,” “You’re in command - boat sober,” “You’re in command - boat responsibly.”

The Coast Guard would like to remind boaters of free services that they can use like the vessel safety check program and boater education classes. Whether offered in a classroom or on line, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons along with various other approved agencies can offer these preventative services.

We have a responsibility to our safety and to the safety of others around us and one way to ensure our safety is through proper procedures that can be learned by the various safe boating classes.

The Coast Guard would like to remind boaters to be safe and wear a Coast Guard approved life vest, it is like a safety belt in the water. Even if a person feels confident in the water, the weather systems on the Great Lakes can be unpredictable making them dangerous.

Another safe boating practice would be to let family, friends or a local marina know when you are going to be on the water and for how long.

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