By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

BOATERS who treat the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) like a towing service are putting lives at risk, according to operations manager Chris Lloyd, who said the misuse has already cost the organisation valuable volunteers.

His warning comes as BASRA prepared to host a maritime safety expo on Friday in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

“We actually lost a lot of good volunteers by calling them out of their jobs and going and meeting a boat just needing a tow,” Mr Lloyd said on Friday. “One thing that I really focus on is vetting the situation; even to save the Defence Force and the Coast Guard getting involved, that it is a genuine distress.”

He recalled being called for fuel runs and other preventable problems. BASRA, which relies on one main vessel in New Providence for missions across the country, now avoids launching automatically, instead leaning on nearby volunteers when possible.

“We used to go and deal with every single broken down jet ski,” he said, calling that approach “insane” and unsustainable. Volunteers, he added, often received no thanks or donations for their time.

Mr Lloyd urged boaters to take responsibility by equipping vessels with radios, life jackets, flares, and other basic tools. He noted that even improvised items could prove lifesaving, such as using a soda can to reflect light or a burning mop head to produce smoke visible for miles.

“The smoke, that’s going to attract every pilot and every boat within 15 miles,” he said. “Rather than sending boats out searching willy nilly, burning fuel, you know, at the end of the day, you spent ten grand.”