'It’s an unfunded gigantic liability': Aquapalooza draws resources, concerns from officials
Aquapalooza is returning to Potter Cove on Saturday, and local and state law enforcement officials will be keeping a close eye on the annual party on the water.
The event, first organized by Warwick-based boat dealer Derek Leigh more than a decade ago, draws hundreds of yachts, rafts, jet skis and other vessels to the coast of Prudence Island. Portsmouth Police Capt. John Cahoon said because it’s an informal event, the details of which spread primarily via a private Facebook group, law enforcement officials never quite know what to expect.
“We always have a safety concern,” Cahoon said. “It’s always a large gathering, and we never know how big it’s going to be. We prepare for it as much as we can.”
'All-hands-on-deck'
Mike Healey, chief public affairs officer for the Department of Environmental Management, said a number of agencies will be on patrol, including the State Police, the Coast Guard and the Bristol, Warwick and Providence police departments, in addition to Portsmouth police.
“It’s an all-hands-on-deck thing," Healey said, "because what it is, and let’s be honest, it’s a keg party in the middle of Narragansett Bay on one of the busiest weeks of the summer.”
Healey said the timing of Aquapalooza is not ideal because it's held simultaneously with the Newport Jazz Festival at the state-run Fort Adams State Park. DEM has a presence in the water there to ensure safety among boaters in Newport Harbor.
“If there’s a major emergency, a serious injury, that means we will need to move a boat from the Jazz Festival, which is our No. 1 priority, to help out,” Healey said.
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Who's held accountable for the event?
Healey said those who organize Aquapalooza bear no responsibility, and the heavy police presence falls at the feet of the taxpayer.
“If we wanted to go to a state park and have a party, any kind of a function on municipal property, we’d have to fill out a permit,” Healey said. “We’d have to answer how many people would be there, the use of the park and who is going to pay police. There would be dozens of logistical questions.”
Healey said there is no regulation or control over the event and “anybody with a boat can show up.”
“It’s an unfunded gigantic liability,” he said.
An attempt to contact Aquapalooza organizers through social media was unsuccessful.
Past incidents and a 'zero tolerance' policy
Healey highlighted the work of the Portsmouth Police Department and specifically Harbormaster Bruce Celico, who “takes the lead on this every year.”
“There are people there consuming alcohol, and the primary concern is just safety for us,” Cahoon said. “We don’t want people to get hurt. We want everybody to have a great time, and for the most part, it’s a lot of fun out there. But people do get injured every year.”
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Cahoon said in the past arrests have been made for boating under the influence, and there is a “zero tolerance” policy.
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“We’re doing a strict enforcement, any boating violations that we see,” he said. “We’re especially looking for people who have been consuming alcohol, consuming too much alcohol. The guys out there doing the enforcement are really going to be stringent as far as alcohol offenses and general boating safety offenses.”
Cahoon is urging attendees to “behave responsibly and have a good time.”
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Aquapalooza returns to Potter's Cove as officials voice concern
