Huntington Steps Up Boating Patrols For Fourth Of July Holiday
HUNTINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The town of Huntington will be stepping up patrols in the water and on land for the Fourth of July holiday.
It's hard to forget the Fourth of July tragedy in the waters off Oyster Bay in 2012 where three children died after watching a fireworks show, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports.
Officials hope that by adding patrols and reducing boat speed limits, it will limit tragedies like the one in 2012.
The town of Huntington's supervisor Frank Petrone said they are reducing the speed limit to 5 mph in the waters off the town including Huntington Bay and Northport Bay for the three July 4th fireworks shows from 8:30-11 p.m.
"Add extra patrols, working with the coast guard, the various village harbor masters and police and Suffolk County," Petrone said. "All in order to orderly disperse people and in order to take care of any problems like drinking on board those boats."
Petrone said nearby roads and parking lots will have extra patrols looking for those who had one too many.