Coast Guard officials are praising an Elkridge man for using a marine band radio Thursday to alert emergency responders after his vessel caught fire off near Gibson Island.

Officials rescued Jeff Overstreet, his sons Tyler, 16, and Justin, 12, along with two of their friends, from the boat when fire broke out suddenly in the engine.

Overstreet had the radio handy and immediately turned it to Channel 16, the distress channel, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandyn Hill, Coast Guard spokesman.

"He did everything he should have," Hill said.

Most boaters in danger call from cell phones, which aren't always reliable, Hill said.

"They have limited battery lives, and there are dead spots out on the water," he said. "A marine band radio is the best way to get in touch with us. We monitor that all the time."

Similar to CB radios that most truck drivers use, marine band radios can be purchased at most boating supply stores.

Emergency responders from the Coast Guard Station in Curtis Bay, along with a boat crew from the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Department, rescued the group. Towboat U.S. in Pasadena towed the disabled boat to safety.

Overstreet said he's an avid boater who has been around the water all his life. He had taken his sons and their friends out on the 26-foot boat for an afternoon of swimming near Dobbins Island.

They were en route back to Pleasure Cove Marine on Bodkin Creek when Overstreet noticed heavy smoke coming out of his engine compartment. He immediately turned off the engine, and the boys headed to the bow of the boat to safety.

"One of the boys was concerned about a potential explosion, but other than that they were calm," Overstreet said.

He said he's always taken boating safety seriously, and has stressed that his children do the same.

"You can never be too cautious," he said.

Overstreet said the fire extinguished itself and was contained to the engine. He doesn't have an estimate of damage or know what caused the fire.