Police Chief Richard Nighelli and Fire Chief Brian Jackvony report that their departments cooperated to rescue three people after their boat capsized in Buzzards Bay in the early afternoon on Wednesday, June 11.

            Marion’s emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting that three individuals fell in the water after their boat capsized at 12:46 pm near Bird Island.

            Upon arrival, personnel from the Harbormaster Department, which is recognized under the Marion Police Department, observed three individuals in the water, all wearing life vests, before safely removing them from the water and bringing them aboard Harbormaster Patrol Boat MH-1. Acquisition of the patrol boat was approved by residents at the annual 2024 Marion Town Meeting.

            Once safely onboard, Harbormaster personnel immediately began administering first aid and started assessing the individuals for injuries. All three individuals were then transported to the Marion Town Dock, where personnel from Marion EMS and the Marion Fire Department took over, providing further evaluation and additional medical care.

            Two of the individuals from the capsized boat were brought to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

            The air temperature was in the low 70s at the time of the incident, and the water temperature was 65.3 degrees at the time of the rescue.

            After safely removing the three individuals from the water, the Mattapoisett Harbormaster Department also assisted with recovery operations, retrieving belongings lost as a result of the boat capsizing.

            “I would like to thank our Harbormaster personnel for their prompt response, quickly rescuing these three individuals and bringing them back to shore, making sure they received proper medical treatment,” said Police Chief Nighelli. “If not for fast-acting rescue personnel, this situation could have easily turned tragic. Even as we approach the summer season, hypothermia is a very real potential danger whenever someone falls from a craft into coastal waters.”

            “These swift, coordinated efforts between the Marion and Mattapoisett Harbormasters, Marion EMS, and Marion Fire Department ensured a safe rescue of all occupants, and no further injuries or navigation hazards have been reported,” said Harbormaster Murphy.

            The incident remains under review.

            As boating season ramps up, Harbormaster Murphy asked that members of the public take extra precautions when they take to the waters.

            “I’d like to use this occasion as a reminder to everyone to always use the proper safety equipment when you go out boating,” Harbormaster Murphy said. “Always wear a personal floatation device at all times while on the water. Please, stay safe and always be prepared in case of an emergency. If you have any further questions about safety requirements, please call the Marion Harbormaster Department.”

            Anyone who has questions about safety requirements can contact the Marion Harbormaster Department at 508-748-3535.

            RFK Jr, our anti-science Secretary of Health and Human Services, has declared that new vaccines should be developed without using mRNA technology and has cast doubt on the safety of mRNA.

            What do we know about this technology?

            mRNA occurs normally in our bodies. It carries instructions from our DNA out to the cells where these “blueprints” are used to make proteins. mRNA is inherently short-lived. It delivers instructions and then is programmed to die. It typically lasts a few days at most.

            The traditional way to make vaccines is to grow viruses in culture, break them apart, and use the fragments of viral proteins to make vaccines. When these are injected, the body’s immune system recognizes them as foreign and develops an immune response that ramps up if the virus later attacks us.

            When mRNA is used to create vaccines, mRNA carries instructions into our cells to build proteins that form part of a virus, such as the spike protein of the Covid virus. The body’s cells make these proteins, which the body recognizes as foreign and makes antibodies against them. These antibodies are now prepared to fight off the virus should we encounter it.

            The big advantage of using mRNA to create vaccines over the traditional method is that vaccines can be made much more quickly, typically within weeks of a new virus being identified. The old method, growing viruses in culture and using disrupted virus particles to stimulate the immune system, typically took months.

            Should we experience another pandemic, mRNA vaccines will save countless lives.

            Are these vaccines dangerous?

            They do NOT change our DNA. mRNA makes a one-way trip and does not enter the nucleus or change our DNA.

            Yes, people can get muscle aches and fever, but this can happen with any vaccine – it is part of the body’s response to a foreign protein.

            There were cases of heart muscle inflammation after the Covid vaccination, but there were many more in people who got infected with Covid.

            It has been over four years since the mRNA vaccines were introduced, and there have been no new safety concerns.

            Do not let fear-mongering persuade you. The vaccines are safe and could save your life.

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer