The U.S. Coast Guard’s Fifth District aided 55 people from 44 distress calls to its command centers over the four-day span of July 4th weekend, prompting a call for boaters to make preparedness and safety a priority this summer.

“Many of the calls for help were from people aboard disabled, grounded or capsized vessels,” Fifth District officials said after the holiday weekend. “Other distress notifications were for medical emergencies, boaters beset by heavy weather and reported fires.”