Question 249Safety & Environmental - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is D) buoyant apparatus. A buoyant apparatus is a rigid lifesaving device designed for a group of survivors to hold on to while in the water. It is a device that provides buoyancy and support for multiple people, unlike a life preserver which is designed for a single person. The US Coast Guard regulations define buoyant apparatus as a device that is capable of supporting survivors in the water, and it is a required lifesaving equipment for certain types of vessels. The other options are incorrect because a life raft is an inflatable device, a life cushion is a personal flotation device, and a life preserver is a personal lifesaving device, rather than a group lifesaving device like a buoyant apparatus.