Department Of Public Safety Recreational Boating Safety Program

The Department of Public Safety Recreational Boating Safety Program is a U.S. local government entity that oversees recreational boating safety initiatives in its jurisdiction. It provides education, training, law enforcement, and other programs aimed at promoting boating safety and reducing accidents, injuries, and fatalities on domestic waterways.

The Department of Public Safety Recreational Boating Safety Program has received several federal formula grants from the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Coast Guard under the Boating Safety Financial Assistance program (CFDA 97.012). These grants, ranging from $647,942 to $734,709, are awarded annually to support the state's recreational boating safety program. The funds can be used for various purposes such as providing facilities, equipment, and supplies for boating safety education and law enforcement; training personnel; conducting public education programs; acquiring or improving public access sites; carrying out boating safety inspections and investigations; establishing emergency and search and rescue facilities; maintaining aids to navigation; and administering vessel numbering and titling programs. The overarching goal is to encourage greater state participation and uniformity in boating safety efforts, while enabling the states to assume a larger role in education, assistance, and enforcement activities related to recreational boating.