RRFW Riverwire – Supplemental Throw Bag Comments Needed
March 1, 2017
Your supplemental throwbag comments are needed by close of business March 3, 2017.
The Department of Natural Resources has ruled a number of comments are not substantive in nature if they mentioned changing the US Coast Guard Code of Regulations, a comment the Department itself suggested.
If you commented on this issue, please send in a supplemental comment.
As we posted in an earlier Riverwire, the State of Utah is proposing to rescind their decade old ruling that a throw bag with 40 feet of rope may be used in-lieu-of a throw cushion when wearing a lifejacket.
Simply stated, R651-215-8 says when a river runner has to wear a life jacket by regulation, they must also have either a cushion or rope, one or the other. It’s their choice.
RRFW encourages you to send in the following supplemental comments to Officer Tammy Wright at tammywright@utah.gov
Please tell Officer Wright you request rule R651-215-8 stay in place to promote public safety.
Those of you who live in Utah, please call Utah Senator Mike Lee’s office in Washington, DC, as he sits on the Senate US Coast Guard Subcommittee. The office number is 202-224-5444. Your message to the Senator is you request Utah Department of Natural Resources rule R651-215-8 stay in place to promote public safety.
That’s it.
Did you know type IV throw cushions are not rated for whitewater use. The loss of this rule means you will no longer be able to choose to bring a throw rope in place of a piece of equipment not designed for where you are going to go.
In rough water, both the USCG and the Arizona Game and Fish Department acknowledge Type IV throwable cushions are not recommended.
Even the State of Utah notes the intent of R651-215-8 as presently written “is solid with swift water rescue techniques”.
This common sense logic is also followed by the State of New Mexico wherea throwable device is not required for rubber rafts on any waters of the state as occupants of the raft shall wear a U.S. coast guard approved wearable personal flotation device.
You can see the notice to rescind here https://rules.utah.gov/publicat/bulletin/2017/20170201/41154.htm
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