2023 Memorial Day Issue

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New Initiative Focuses on Water Safety through Education Story by MICHAEL DAIGLE Photos by Karen Fucito Lake Hopatcong can be a speedway, a traffic jam, a noisy neighbor—sometimes all at once. At 2,600 acres, New Jersey’s largest freshwater lake can also be a quiet place for fishing, canoeing, dining or a slow trip on smooth water into a vibrant setting sun. Finding the balance can be tricky. A new initiative launched this spring by the New Jersey State Police Marine Division at Lake Hopatcong—supported by the Hopatcong Borough Police Department and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office—is reaching out to the next generation of adult boaters through water safety assemblies in elementary schools and boater certification classes for age-eligible students. “I got my first boat when I was 13,” recalled Hopatcong Lt. Ryan Tracey. “I still own one.” Tracey said he was also 13 when he took his first boating safety course to receive his initial operator certificate. The goal of the initiative is to teach kids, beginning at age 7, about the safe operation of a watercraft, general water safety and how to be respectful to other boaters and homeowners along the lake, Tracey said. The goal also is to teach year-round water safety, said Trooper Anthony Buro, who is assigned to the Lake Hopatcong State Police Marine Division. In early May, Buro and Sgt. Peter Petelicki led a water safety assembly at Arthur Stanlick Elementary School in Jefferson. Buro said the safety assemblies for elementary school students ages 7 to 12 are broken down by seasons: winter for ice safety and spring for water safety. Running about 20 minutes, the assemblies feature a boat and rescue equipment. The assemblies have been presented in several lake area schools and as far away as Denville. The idea, he said, “is to present the training in any community that has a body of water.” Buro said winter lake safety is becoming an increasingly important topic as warmer winters are not creating the thick ice sheets that would be the safest. Instead, the ice cover has been spotty or nonexistent. “That’s why the first rule of winter operation is so important,” Buro said. That rule? “No ice is safe ice,” he said. The other winter rules are: Never go onto the ice alone, and always wear appropriate clothing for the weather. In other words, wear a winter coat and proper winter footwear. Tracey said students attending the winter safety assemblies are also given information on how to spot dock bubblers, which are used to prevent ice buildup around docks. The ice would be weaker near areas with bubblers. Buro said the spring safety assemblies focus on general water and boating safety as presented in the state police’s boating safety manual. Also offered is a state boating safety course to middle school and high school students ages 12 to 18. The course is presented in one 8-hour session and is free to students. Upon completion of this course and passing a test, students are eligible for a state boating safety certificate (boating license). A recent class at Hopatcong Middle School attracted 54 students, said Buro. Supporting in-person certificate courses for students, said Tracey, is a series of videos created by the state police that target specific boating safety issues. Tracey said the videos will be made available to the public through a QR code on posters and signs distributed at key lake-entry points and restaurants. At Lee’s County Park Marina, the QR code will be printed on the receipt every time a boat is launched, Tracey said. “Our hope is that the marinas and businesses on the lake will also help us,” he added. The videos will become available Top to bottom: Trooper Anthony Buro, center, instructs students Devyn Parcelluzi and Frank Wilpert on how to use a rescue throw bag. Buro and Sgt. Peter Petelicki presenting to students at Arthur Stanlick Elementary School. (Photos courtesy of Stanlick School) by Memorial Day, Buro said. “We’re using technology to our advantage,” he added. Buro said the six videos for 2023 offer instruction on required equipment; anchoring techniques; showing respect for others while on the water and noise etiquette; operation of a boat; operation of personal watercraft and water sport safety. But it’s not only about reaching the children, Buro said. The initiative will zero in on educating the public and marina operators about state laws regarding boat rentals. The key will be oversight on businesses that rent boats, he said. State law allows the state police to oversee boating-related business operations. Buro said boat rental businesses must apply and register with the state to rent boats. The marine division is authorized to conduct periodic checks of such businesses, he said. The initiative was spurred by the increasing number of rental boat accidents, Buro said. In 2019, a Mount Arlington man drowned on Lake Hopatcong when he fell off a rented pontoon boat. The driver of the boat was sentenced to a year in jail for driving under the influence. Last year, a couple was on a pontoon boat just after sunset when it was rammed by a speeding boat. And in 2015, 10-year-old Christopher D’Amico died after he fell off the bow of a pontoon boat and became trapped between the pontoons. His death resulted in the passage of Christopher’s Law. Signed by Gov. Chris Christie, the law added new restrictions to pontoon boat rentals, including an extended safety class before the rental is completed. Tracey said another key part of the initiative is to educate the boating public about respect and consideration of other boaters on the lake and the lakeside homeowners. Hopatcong’s Byram Cove has long been a hot spot for noise complaints and assorted conflicts 6 LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS Memorial Day 2023
etween boaters and homeowners. In recent years, 90 percent of noise complaints were filed in Hopatcong. Tracey said the outreach effort is designed to be “educational.” The new drive follows an effort fostered by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation to promote consideration for all lake users, called “Lake Hopatcong For All.” For general lake users, the plan recommended ideas such as taking measures to prevent the spread of invasive species; not littering; practicing proper fuel handling; and putting into practice some respect and consideration recommendations. The plan had a separate set of ideas for Byram Cove, including entering the cove with little or no wake; respecting your neighbors; maintaining a 100-foot navigation corridor when anchoring; and a suggestion that rafts, tubes and other floating objects be tied to a rope no longer than 20 feet to keep them clear of navigation channels. The foundation’s efforts have made a noticeable difference around the lake, said Kyle Richter, the organization’s executive director, who welcomes the addition of the police initiative. “It’s great to see local, county and state agencies working together to make Lake Hopatcong a safer place for everyone to enjoy,” said Richter. SEPTIC SYSTEMS INSTALLED AND REPAIRED PUMPING AVAILABLE • RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL • SITE WORK • FILL DIRT • TRUCKING 973-663-2142 • 973-713-8020 CELL lakehopatcongnews.com 7
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