Beat the Heat, Get Out and Boat

Learn how to boat safely. Photo Credit: Sarah Orlando

As Ohio moves from winter straight to a hot and sunny summer, I dream of days spent out on the water boating. I prefer the hand powered crafts such as kayaks and stand-up paddle boards to motorboats, but a quick spin on a Personal Watercraft will give me my adrenaline fix for the summer. Boating, whether it be canoeing, sailing, or powerboating is available to all Ohio residents and visitors because of the phenomenal water resources and public access points we have. Lake Erie and the Ohio River provide boating access for 3.1 million residents, and 99% of Ohio’s residents live within 36 miles of a water body large enough for powerboats, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

With these amazing recreational water activities, we must consider our safety and the safety of other people. Each year, more people are paddling, fishing from boats, or taking a day to chill on their pontoon boat. More people on the water means greater risk to water safety. Therefore, as a boater you must take responsibility and learn how to boat safely. Below are some tips to help you in your safe boating endeavor.

Equipment

Types of life jackets. Credit: US Boat Foundation

The type of equipment that is required for your vessel is determined by length, power source, and boating location. These requirements are established by the United States Coast Guard and the local Department of Natural Resources. Although equipment differs by vessel, all boats require the following four items.

  1. Type I, II, III or V type (see image) personal flotation device (PFD) for every person on the boat. If the boat is 18 feet or smaller and the person is 10 years or younger, the PFD must be worn. In all other cases, the PFDs must be on the vessel within arm’s reach. However, it is strongly encouraged to always wear your PFD.
  2. Sound signaling source such as a horn or whistle.
  3. Light signaling source such as a white light for paddle crafts and white, red, and green lights on sailing and motor vessels.
  4. Visual distress signals such as colored smoke flares or bright flags for daytime and burning flares for when it becomes dark.

Rules of Navigation

Rules of Navigation. Credit: safe-skipper.com

On the water, the least maneuverable boat has the right of way. Therefore, a large freighter would have the right of way since it cannot stop or turn quickly. If you see a freighter near your boat, you should give it plenty of space and stay out of its way. If you are paddling on a river that experiences a lot of boat traffic (Cuyahoga River for example) then you should treat it like the road.  Remain as far to the right of the river as you can and look both ways before crossing to the other side.

 

General Safety

Being on the water can take a physical toll on your body. Being in the sun and other elements quickly removes water from our body making it very important to drink lots of water and remember to replenish electrolytes. As a boater, you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times, so substances, such as alcohol, that reduce your ability to operate a vessel should not be used. Also, make sure you check the weather several times before you go out and while you are on the water. Weather can change quickly so it is important you are aware of your surroundings.

Lastly, you should ALWAYS BOAT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. Boating alone is very dangerous and should be avoided.

By reading this blog, you have received a basic understanding of safe boating, but I encourage you to learn more to make sure you and your loved ones will be safe on the water. Below are some materials that will help you in your safe boating quest, but taking the Ohio Boaters Education Course would be an important step and is required for anyone in the state of Ohio born after January 1, 1982 if they would like to operate a boat with a motor.

Additional Resources

  1. A BOATER’S GUIDE TO THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS AND SAFETY TIPS from the US Boat Foundation https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
  2. Links to safe boating websites:
    1. http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/
    2. http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/news/dont-miss-these-2018-safe-boating-campaign-events/
    3. http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/requiredequipment

Endnotes

public access points: ODOR Office of Coastal Management, 2018. Website: http://coastal.ohiodnr.gov/gocoast.

3.1 million residents: Ohio Division of State Parks and Watercraft, 2018. Website: http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/statistics.

Ohio Boaters Education Course: Ohio Division of State Parks and Watercraft, 2018. Website: http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/coursesearch.

Type I, II, III or V type: Boat US Foundation, 2018. Website: https://www.boatus.org/life-jackets/types/.


Jill BartolottaJill Bartolotta is an Extension Educator for the Ohio Sea Grant College Program.

Doing and dreaming: A good plan makes a space for both

“Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.” You might be wondering what this quote from Ludwig van Beethoven has to do with community development.  What I hear in the musical master’s words is the process of creating order from chaos; he is crafting incredible harmony from a storm of strong, independent, unconnected notes. To me, that’s an analogy for good planning – strategic planning.

In fact, developing and implementing a good strategic plan can help an organization take control of the chaos and set itself on a path of identifying and achieving its goals. In addition to goals, most successful plans have a few common elements, including a vision and a mission.

Why does an organization need both a mission and a vision? Aren’t they really the same thing? Well, no, they’re not – and they’re both an important part of successful planning and work.

North Star

All the stars of the northern sky appear to rotate around the North Star.

A mission is a concise statement that explains why the organization exists, answering some basic questions: What do we do? Who do we serve? How does that improve things? Tapping into the passion of the employees, volunteers, and partners, a mission statement reflects why this organization and its work is important. Much like the North Star, a mission statement is always visible, allowing the people of the organization to continually realign themselves to remain on the right path. A mission statement expresses the work that the organization is doing today.

A vision is less about doing and more about dreaming. Vision statements outline the desired future, as expressed by the organization. Possibilities, hopes, innovations – these are the lifeblood of vision statements. A vision should be aspirational and reflect a world that is possible (by the good and successful work of the organization) in the future.

Here’s another way to consider mission and vision statements. Think of a missionary. The work of a missionary is immediate, on the ground, working directly with people and communities to improve their situations. The missionary knows his/her purpose and is directing energy into achieving that objective. Conversely, a visionary is someone who focuses on the future –envisioning what could be. While a visionary is aware of the current situation, he/she is contemplating the best-case possibilities that may exist in the future.

Does your organization have some chaos it would like to tame? OSU Extension has skilled facilitators to help your team create a strategic plan that has its feet firmly in the present and its eyes focused on a hopeful future. For more information, visit go.osu.edu/seekexcellence.


Becky Nesbitt is an Assistant Professor and Extension Educator in Community Development with OSU Extension.

Climate Change – What’s the Big Deal?

Find out more during the FREE June 7 Webinar
(Details/Registration below)

 “Few people would be making a big deal of climate change if the changes weren’t making big differences in land, air, water, infrastructure and economies — the ingredients of our daily lives. Climate science offers a wide lens on how ecosystems and social systems affect each other. The science and stories behind each impact present more questions we must now answer to support communities into the future.”

Source:  University of California – Davis
climatechange.ucdavis.edu/impacts/

Here in Central Ohio climate change is often not the first thought on my mind. After all, we aren’t experiencing the most intense impacts – drought, hurricanes, flooding coastlines, massive fires – all destroying property and, worst yet, taking lives – are we?

While we may be spared some of the extremes, our changing climate in Ohio is already having a pronounced effect on farmers, the fishing industry and residents along Lake Erie and other waterways in the state, to name a few interest groups.  Here are a few selected impacts for Ohio from a 2016 EPA report:

  • In the last century, Ohio’s climate has warmed around 1.5 Degree Fahrenheit. This warming trend has accelerated in recent decades, with nighttime and winters showing the greater temperature.
  • Average annual precipitation in the Midwest increased by 5-10% over the last 50 years. This increase is projected to continue, particularly in the Eastern part of the region. As a result, the frequency of flooding is likely to increase in Ohio and surrounding states.
  • Heavy downpours are most likely to occur in the winter and spring, when soil is saturated or frozen, impacting agricultural runoff and water quality. Intense rainfall will also impact urban areas with combined sewer and storm water systems, potentially causing sewage overflow and water contamination.
  • Increased water temperatures in the Great Lakes will likely affect some coolwater fish species and will create favorable conditions for harmful algal blooms.
  • Forests will be threatened by drier conditions, fires, invasive insects and land use changes due to development patterns. As temperatures increase, some tree species are expected to shift their range to the north.

These are only some of the projected impacts Ohio will experience from our warming climate. Land Use Planners, zoning officials and local elected and appointed leaders are, in many locales, increasingly needing to be on the forefront of building resilient communities that will be able to adapt to projected changes in climate. A sampling of such initiatives currently underway in Ohio includes:

GreenCityBlueLake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History: In existence since 1992,  GCBL has been a leader in topics related to sustainable cities and climate change.

Smart Columbus:  In 2016 Columbus competed against 77 cities throughout the U.S. to win the Smart City Challenge, providing over $40 million to achieve transportation and sustainability goals, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center of The Ohio State University: One of the top research programs on the contribution of cold climates to the global climate system, BPCRC’s mission is to “conduct multi-disciplinary research, offer enhanced educational opportunities, and provide outreach activities with the goal of promoting understanding of the ever-evolving Earth System”.

An upcoming webinar hosted by eXtension’s Community Planning and Zoning Community of Practice, a team of researchers, educators and community practitioners from throughout the U.S., will be held in early June to identify community and land use impacts of climate change.  This webinar is free and open to those who seek information on climate change and steps communities can take to mitigate impacts.  Please note that registration is required, and a link is provided in the description below:

 Webinar Opportunity:

Community and Land Use Impacts from Climate Change
Thursday, June 7 at 1 p.m. eastern time for 1 hour

Complete information is available at: learn.extension.org/events/3455

A panel of speakers from three different states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) will discuss how communities’ land use decisions can impact and respond to a changing climate. They will share examples from various communities and may touch on agriculture and food, infrastructure systems, the link with smart growth and sustainability, and environmental protection. In addition, each speaker will discuss how climate change is expected to affect their various states.

  • The first speaker is Thomas W. Blaine, an Environmental Economist with Ohio State University Extension. He has published numerous fact sheets and blog posts about climate change. He will lead off this webinar providing an overview of climate change and what it means for communities throughout the United States.
  • The second speaker is Jim Shortle, a Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Environmental Economics and Director of the College of Agricultural Sciences Environment and Natural Resources Institute at Penn State. His talk will focus on water management and recreation and provide examples of what communities can do in these areas.
  • Our third and final speaker is Jim LaGro, a professor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He will focus on climate change strategies used by communities that also focus on community livability and sustainability.

The webinar will wrap up with an opportunity for questions and answers.

Please register by June 4 at: extension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7EYOA-K3Tq6T7zSL9iVpIw. “Seating” is limited.

1 AICP CM credit is available.


Myra Moss is an Associate Professor and Extension Educator, OSU Extension Community Development.

The Ripple Effect of Personal Finances on a Community

Do you have a family member, friend or neighbor who recently lost his/her job; had to reduce their number of hours at work due to health issues; pay more than 30% of their income on housing; or lost 50% or more of their income due to the death of a spouse, divorce or unemployment? If so, most of them will probably be evicted, face foreclosure, miss housing and utility payments, receive public assistance, etc. Obviously, it’s important for residents to know that these results not only affect the households of their families, but the community at large.

These problems contribute to an inordinate high number of evictions; food insecurity; infant mortality rates; inability to get prescriptions and medical attention; mental, emotional, social and physical ills; and community development. Revenue from property taxes will decrease if families fail to make their mortgage payments. Neighborhoods will suffer with blight, disinvestment, and crime when properties are left vacant and abandoned, and public assistance budgets will surge.

It’s important that we address these community-wide problems with community-wide solutions. Towards this end, leaders from communities, corporations, colleges/universities, civic organizations, and churches need to unite and help families avoid these issues by developing innovative programs and unique partnerships to strengthen the lives of families and, subsequently, communities.

OSU Extension understands the correlation between personal finances and community development. Towards this end, we work diligently to strengthen the lives of families and build strong communities by educating and empowering residents with the knowledge, resources, and skills essential in helping them take control of their finances and future! To see what OSU Extension is doing to make a difference in the lives of children, youth and families in Columbus, visit franklin.osu.edu.


Susan Colbert is the Franklin County Extension Program Director for Expansion and Engagement.

Focus…What?

I recently was asked to facilitate focus groups for a social service agency as a beginning step in their strategic planning process. Focus groups are very familiar to me, but most of the participants of these groups were not familiar with the purpose of focus groups or how they may be beneficial to them or the agency. Some of their questions may also help you when deciding how to gather information.

What is a focus group?

WhatA focus group is in essence a group interview based on a set of questions or discussion points. It is qualitative research designed to explore people’s opinions and attitudes. Focus groups ask open-ended questions and avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no answers. A typical focus group may consist of 6-8 people. A number of focus groups are usually conducted to get an ideal mix of information. Focus groups typically last 1-3 hours.

Why focus groups?

WhyFocus groups tend to take place with a small sample size in an interactive group setting. They create a way to encourage participants to share ideas and express opinions and attitudes and are an effective way to facilitate open discussions and allow participants to express themselves deeper than a less personal survey, and dive deeper into certain issues.

Who participates in focus groups?

WhoThe participants selected must be able to answer the questions and must be familiar with the topic discussed. Participants are selected based on criteria relevant to the organization/concept including existing or potential customers.

If you are interested in conducting focus groups, please contact me at bond.227@osu.edu.


Cindy BondCindy Bond is an Assistant Professor and Extension Educator (Guernsey County).