NMMA Canada receives grant to create safe boating app
NMMA Canada will receive a grant from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat of $312,000 over the next three years as part of the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF) to create a safe boating application for smartphones to educate boaters and improve safety awareness.
A Government of Canada contribution program, SARNIF provides support for new products or initiatives that help to improve the National Search and Rescue Program. These may include training programs, search and rescue equipment, research and development or awareness campaigns.
“NMMA Canada is dedicated to promoting safe boating practices and this support from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat through SARNIF will help reach a larger audience with this important information,” said Sara Anghel, executive director/vice-president of government relations, NMMA Canada. “An educated boater is a safe boater and NMMA strongly supports boater education.”
The project aims to deliver safety information to boaters through a dedicated and easily accessible smartphone app. App content informs boaters and the general public across Canada about safe boating practices and water safety. Similar to information provided by Discover Boating Canada on its website, DiscoverBoating.ca, this app will include boating safety checklists, how to properly operate a boat, marine weather resources, emergency procedures, navigation and buoy visual references.
“Feedback to the content released by Discover Boating Canada has been positive and this app will provide further opportunity for Canadians to obtain up-to-the-minute information about boating safely in Canada,” Anghel added.
For more information about NMMA’s new online boater safety app, contact Sara Anghel at sanghel@nmma.org.