So far this this year, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District has recorded 187 false distress calls of which at least three were hoaxes. In a recent announcement, the District said that these calls divert rescue crews and assets from actual distress situations and can put lives in danger.
To combat this problem and to stem future false calls and hoaxes, the District is now warning Great Lakes boaters of possible fines and even jail time for these callers. According to federal law, false and hoax callers can receive up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $13, 295.
“Intentionally misleading emergency responders is both dangerous and illegal,” said Capt. Mark Kuperman, chief of staff, Great Lakes District. “Every false distress report creates a ripple effect across the entire emergency response community, draining valuable time and resources from the Coast Guard and agency partners, and potentially putting emergency responders at unnecessary risk.”
Read more here.
