Act now before a charter boat accident happens

The Daily Pilot article about charter boats (“Charter boat

overcrowding a fire hazard,” Saturday) was a timely piece in light of

two recent incidents in clubs that killed more than 100 people in the

last week.

Disasters like the club fire may have been prevented if existing

laws were enforced. These charter boats are nothing more than

floating clubs with the same potential for disaster whether berthed

or cruising the harbor.

I am not up on what the specific laws and codes are regarding fire

safety on charter boats, or the dock owners, but according to the

Daily Pilot article, the laws that do exist are not being adhered to

by the businesses that own the docks. Or as the Pilot puts it, there

is rampant noncompliance.

The city’s Harbor Commission plans to review the problem that

exists at the docks. But the commission should also review the fire

safety of each and every charter boat as to exits and life boats,

fire extinguisher’s locations, the training of crew members in

emergency situations, and the flammability of the vessel and its

furnishings. I believe that all caterers should be required to know

at least where the fire extinguishers are located and maybe be

familiar with fire procedures on the charter boat.

The Harbor Commission should also look at the harbor’s capacity to

accommodate the existing number of charter boats. Are there too many

now and have we already reached overcapacity? Or are we at a well

balanced place as to the number and the sizes of the charter boats? I

don’t believe, however, that we need more charter boats in this

harbor even if they do add to the tax coffers of the city.

During the Parade of Lights at Christmas, with the additional

charter boats plying the harbor, it is easy to see the possibility of

overuse and overcapacity. The commission needs to study what the

capacity of Newport Harbor is and how to regulate and manage the

charter boat industry now and in the future.

* PAUL JAMES BALDWIN is a Newport Beach resident.