FWC Launches Boater Safety App

FWC ENHANCES BOATER SAFETY WITH INTERACTIVE WATERWAY APP CAMPAIGN

For years, waterway users in Florida have had to juggle multiple sources of information to plan, prepare and navigate safely to enjoy their time on the water. Understanding weather forecasts, finding local boat facilities, official warnings and notices, waterway zones, and safety equipment requirements often required using several apps, websites and publications, leading to uncertainty about where and when to go, what to do and how to fully enjoy a range of water activities safely.

In an exciting development for the boating community, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced a new initiative in collaboration with the National Safe Boating Council to pilot interactive safety content through a free mobile app called DECKEE. The app is designed to keep boaters safe and informed.
Whether you’re navigating the coastline in a powerboat or sailing yacht, paddling in Key West in a kayak, or heading out for a day of fishing with friends, content delivered through the DECKEE app unifies everything Florida’s water enthusiasts need for their next day on the water.

Over 1 million boat owners in Florida now have access to the following benefits and safety features in the free DECKEE app:

• Plan your next adventure on the water with detailed maps, facility information, official warnings, aids to navigation and community insights.
• Access personalized equipment checklists, boating forecasts, regulations and resources from the FWC to ensure you are always ready for the ideal weather window.
• Automatically log your activities while on the water and share your live location to give friends and family peace of mind.

The FWC and the National Safe Boating Council will collaborate on the pilot program to seamlessly integrate safety content into the DECKEE app. This will help boaters plan, prepare and enjoy their activities on the water, and gain insight into how the campaigns are influencing overall boater behavior.

One example of an integrated campaign will be improving education and outreach about dangerous weather conditions, which significantly contribute to boating incidents. Many boaters need help understanding and interpreting the weather forecast, what it means for their boat and their intentions on the day.

The pilot program will introduce a personalized boating forecast targeted to the user’s watercraft and plans, which will give meaning to the information and help users make sense of it.

“Our goal is to create a safer boating environment for everyone in Florida,” said Brian Rewinkel, FWC Boating Safety Education Coordinator. “This pilot program will measure the effectiveness of delivering safety information directly to boaters in an engaging and accessible manner. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting our waterways and those who enjoy them.”

Peg Phillips, Executive Director of the National Safe Boating Council, said, “Measuring the impact of boating safety outreach has always been very challenging for the government agencies like the FWC that manage our nation’s waterways. With the DECKEE app pilot program, we now have an accurate and scalable way to measure the influence of our strategic priorities and outreach efforts.”

Florida boaters are encouraged to explore the new safety capabilities in the free DECKEE app, available from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or Deckee.com/download.

For more information about FWC boating safety initiatives, visit MyFWC.com/boating.