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Every parent wants to make sure his or her child is
as safe as possible, and that goes double for
parents who take their kids on the water. The BoatUS
Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean Water makes it
easier for boating families to stay safe with its
national life jacket loaner program. Around the
country, over 300 marinas, fuel docks, BoatUS Towing
Operators, and other waterfront businesses lend out
kids’ life jackets for the day or weekend to
families who have a temporary need for one.
History:
The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean
Water first launched its Life Jacket Loaner Program
for Kids in the spring of 1997 and it’s been growing
ever since. There are now over 300 loaner sites
nationwide, which have loaned out over 10,000 life
jackets in the past five years!
One of the program’s goals is to educate boaters on
the significance of wearing the appropriate size and
type of life jacket while boating. Another is to
make sure a day of boating isn’t spoiled just
because a family forgot a life jacket at home. And
finally, the most important goal: simply to keep
kids safe out on the water! The program is funded by
donations from the 575,000 members of BoatUS.
How the Program Works:
Each year, the BoatUS Foundation accepts about 40
new sites into the Life Jacket Loaner Program. The
group or waterfront location accepted into the
program will receive 12 child-sized life jackets, as
well as signs, brochures and a sign-out binder. The
life jackets should be displayed in prominent
location—like near a boating ramp, in a marina
office, or near a fuel dock. A boating family can
then check out the life jacket for a day, free of
charge. At the end of the boating trip, they can
return it to the same location.
New Rules Mean More Kids in Life Jackets:
Soon, more American children will be required to
wear life jackets while boating. On December 23,
2002, a new U.S. Coast Guard interim rule took
effect in 15 states that did not have child life
jacket laws. This rule requires children under 13 on
boats
underway to wear a properly fitted and sized U.S.
Coast Guard approved life jacket while on Federal
waters. States which already have life jacket laws
were not affected. Please click
here to check out
the life jacket laws in your state.
Loaner Program on the Water:
Because of limited funds for safety programs in some
states, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety &
Clean Water also has a state administered life
jacket loaner program. Marine patrol units from
selected states are equipped with loaner life
jackets that they can give to families with children
who are not wearing life jackets on the water.
Having free children’s vests available will not only
provide immediate protection for the child, but in
cases where the boater is breaking the law by not
having their children in life jackets, the vessel
operator will not be forced off the water for
non-compliance. Your State Boating Law Administrator
must request the donation of these jackets.
The Foundation hopes to impact the safety of the
nation’s boaters through programs like these, which
directly give back to the boating public. The
donated life jackets have made quite an impact on
the public! If your state is interested in applying
to receive free life jackets, please call or email the
Foundation at (410)
897-0943 for more details. |
