Dive Flag Awareness... What's next?

[rjnjupiter]

DFA Dive Flag Awareness. A Success. I don't have a final count on volunteers but I know we covered about 40 ramps. We have had a huge response to the petition sign up. Now what?

1. Please email info@scuba-works with names and emails of people that volunteered. I have the Ramp Coordinators but would like to get a good head count and send everyone a Thank You. This list will become our core staff and will be used to send out future information.

2. We are in contact with an attorney/lobbyist that has shown a willingness to help us get these petitions into a proper format or proclamation to get before the Governor. We have been sending the petitions to the FWC. There may be a conflict since they are with the state. Send all petitions to:

Scuba Works
351 S US HIghway 1
Suite 103
Jupiter,FL 33477

We will get Bob (PA) Chad Carney, Sheri Daye and the Murphys, et al together to direct the Proclamation and officially request a DFA Day.
I have requested an audience with Ken Pruitt, our local State Senator to ask for support.

3. Media - We got good coverage by local media but can do much better next time. Please email any media coverage you got in your market whether it was a newspaper article or TV story. These are very important to show our cause and show support from a broad market. Here are 2 stories from NBC in the South Florida Market

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story...STTJmOJ0g.cspx

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story...GzMxhkiaQ.cspx

 

[Orlando Eric]

The system cannot find the file specified.

 

[deepstops]

Try these:

Dive flag awareness day West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Treasure Coast local news, weather, live radar, investigative from Newschannel 5 | WPTV.com

Diver hit by boat, exclusive interview West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Treasure Coast local news, weather, live radar, investigative from Newschannel 5 | WPTV.com

 

[Orlando Eric]

thank you

 

[rjnjupiter]

Thanks Brian. These wee great news stories. Good support from Scubaboard divers. Hope to do it again when its warm and there are lots of boats.

 

[Calle Roo]

Looks like you guys did a great job on the awareness!

It made its way over to BoatTest.com

Do You Know What This Flag Represents? | BoatTEST.com

 

[rjnjupiter]

The we in we did a good job, was the diving community . Your post is just another example of the interest and support brought forth. One diver, lives4sharks traveled all the way from GA to South Florida to participate and even brought a basket for Rob. Many were at the ramps on a cold Florida day talking and spreading the word. The next time we do this ,it will be huge.

In Ft Myers, the Caloosa Dive Club missed the event but is rallying , post event.to get petition signatures in. Proud to be a part of this.

 

[cyberfed]

Agreed, this was a great idea and I'm glad so many people turned out and helped. I wish I could have made it to an event but life got in the way

I'm working on creating a volunteer organization to go to city officials and ask if they would like some divers to come out and dive and clean up their lakes. Since our Orlando event has gotten such a huge turnout and is gearing up to be pretty amazing I thought surely we could find a group of dedicated divers willing to help out. Trick is getting other cities on board, which I am working on.

 

[Florida Scuba Divers]

Pete, It was very nice meeting you at the Blue Wild Seminar this weekend. It was great having you in the Dive Flag Awareness meeting on Saturday. You had some very good ideas that will help a lot in coming up with a plan to educate boaters. We look forward to working with you on this important cause. John

 

[The Chairman]

Moved by the permission of the OP.