GRANTS, NM - According to the New Mexico State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, safety is a growing concern when it comes to boating in New Mexico. Runoff of melting snow due to rising temperatures is filling New Mexico's rivers, streams, reservoirs, and lakes, such as Bluewater Lake. This can lead to dangerous conditions for residents who boat and swim without having taken a safety course. Records indicate that over the last five years, more than 84 percent of boating deaths in New Mexico occurred in situations where the boat operator had never taken a safety course.
According to Scott Chalmers, Boating Safety and Education Program Coordinator, “All motorboat, personal watercraft, and sailboat operators born on or after January 1, 1989, are required by law to complete a boating safety course to operate on New Mexico waters.'
State Parks work with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and state, federal, and nonprofit organizations in an effort to encourage boaters to enroll in a boating education course to help make their time on the water safe and more enjoyable for them and those around them. The State Parks provide free eight-hour boating education classes online and in-person across the state. Students must score 80 percent on the final exam to receive a Boater Education Card. After this, operators must simply have it with them on the boat during its operation. The card is valid for life and meets the requirements for recreational boating education in several other states.
These classes are readily available as well. Anyone interested in taking them or learning more can go to www.emnrd.nm.gov, click on the State Parks tab, and choose Boating in New Mexico. Since last year, more than 800 people have completed the class.