Help kids stay safe on the water with life jackets

by BoatU.S. News Room on 10 Jul 2008 The easiest way to ensure a child's safety on the water is to make sure they wear a properly-fitting life jacket. But children's growth spurts or last minute changes to the roster of invited guests don't always make wearing a life jacket easy. Your marina, bait shop, fuel dock or boat club may be able to help next season as the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is looking for new locations to become lending sites for its free Life Jacket Loaner Program.

Since the program was launched in 1997, at least three children's lives have been saved as a result of wearing a BoatU.S. Foundation life jacket. Over 90,000 life jackets are loaned out each year through the program, with demand up 22% in the last two years. The program was recently honored by the Partnership for a Safer Maryland as one of six leading injury prevention programs in the state.

There is no cost to become a loaner site and presently over 350 clubs and businesses participate as Life Jacket Loaner Program sites. The loaner life jacket kit consists of 12 life jackets in a protective container, signage and easy-to-use sign-out sheets to track usage. Various sizes of jackets are included.

To download an application to become a Life Jacket Loaner Program site or for more information on the program and the life jacket laws in your state, please visit http://www.boatus.com/Foundation/LJLP Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2008.

If hosting a loaner site isn't for you, a tax-deductible donation can help. 'The need for this program continues to grow each year and your donation will help parents keep their kids safe,' said BoatU.S. Foundation President Ruth Wood. Ten dollars will buy one vest-style life jacket and $250 will create a completely new, fully stocked loaner site. Go to http:/ www.BoatUS.com/Foundation to make your donation online or mail your donation to: Kids Jackets, BoatU.S. Foundation, 880 South Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304.

The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 650,000 members of BoatU.S. The Foundation operates more than a dozen programs including the only accredited, free, online general boating safety course, a low-cost EPIRB rental program, the 'Help Stop the Drops' national clean fueling campaign and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for nonprofit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.