(DiverWire) – The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), the trade association for the recreational scuba diving industry, has just released a new Public Service Announcement designed to promoted safety through the proper use of dive flags.
Developed in conjunction with the Divers Alert Network (DAN), the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) the 30-second television PSA encourages boaters to be more cautious when they see a dive flag and divers to always use their divers-down flag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Yoz58sbts
The message was created to instruct the public, specifically divers and boaters, on the need for and proper use of a dive flag to signal that divers are in the water and boaters should maintain a proper distance from the flag. The PSA has been distributed to television networks in California, Florida and Texas for broadcast during the months of July and August, and is also being distributed using social media tools employed by the sponsoring organizations.
“Our goal in creating this important message is to remind divers and boaters that they share access to the same waters and thus need to adhere to safety precautions that will ensure an enjoyable experience for all,” commented Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. “By increasing the awareness of the divers-down flag we hope to keep diving safe for everyone this summer.”
In addition to being broadcast on TV networks, the PSA will be promoted as a social media campaign via Be A Diver and DiveCaching Twitter & Facebook pages for the remainder of the summer.
