BoatU.S. Foundation adds 40 Life Jacket Loaner sites
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The BoatU.S. Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program is adding 40 new sites to its nationwide initiative, which provides parents with the opportunity to borrow a properly sized children’s life jacket at readily accessible launch ramps, marinas and waterfront businesses, BoatU.S. said in a release today.
Since its inception seven years ago, the program has saved the lives of at least three children. It is estimated that BoatU.S. life jackets have been loaned out more than 50,000 times. Twenty of the new sites were funded by a partnership with West Marine, according to the association.
“Partnering with marinas allows us to reach out to boaters in their own element,” said Chris Edmonston, director of Boating Safety for the BoatU.S. Foundation. “We make it easy to keep kids safer while boating. If a boating family discovers they don’t have enough properly fitting children’s life jackets on board, they can simply visit a loaner site and sign out – at no cost – an infant, child, or youth jacket.”
With over 300 sites across the country, the program is available to boaters in almost every region of the United States. The Foundation provides each new loaner site with a kit of 12 life jackets, a protective storage bin, sign out sheets and program signage.
Businesses or organizations interested in participating can next apply to the program in November 2004 by going to www.boatus.com/foundation.
New life jacket loaner sites
– Arkansas:
Joplin Volunteer Fire Department Station 2, Arkadelphia
– California:
Marlin Club of San Diego, San Diego
Sequoia Natural History Association, Three Rivers
Ventura West Marina, Ventura
– Delaware:
Indian River Marina, Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Bay Marina, Dewey Beach
Short’s Marine, Inc., Millsboro
– District of Columbia:
James Creek Marina, Washington
– Georgia:
West Point Lake Coalition, LaGrange
– Hawaii:
University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Continuing Education, Hilo
– Illinois:
Ericson Marine, Algonquin
– Iowa:
Parks Marina, Inc., Okoboji
–Kansas:
Council Grove Lake-Canning Creek Gate House, Council Grove
– Kentucky:
Lake Barkley Marina, Cadiz
– Maine:
Wayfarer Marine Corporation, Camden
– Maryland:
Full Tilt Marine, Inc., Grasonville
Hinckley Yacht Services, Oxford
– Massachusetts:
Town of Barnstable, Centerville
– Michigan:
Torresen Marine, Inc., Muskegon
Tower Marine, Douglas
– Missouri:
Ozark Village Resort, Lake Ozark
– Nebraska:
Captain’s Quarters Marina & Storage Inc., Johnson Lake
– New York:
Seymour’s Boat Yard, Northport
– North Carolina:
Castle Hayne Fire and Rescue Castle, Hayne
– Ohio:
Bakers Bait and Ammo Barn, Kimbolton
Channel Park Marina/Ivanic Marine, Cleveland
– Oklahoma:
Beavers Bend Marina, Broken Bow
– Oregon:
Albany Fire Fighters Community Assistance Fund, Albany
– Pennsylvania:
D & S Boats / Baum’s Cove Marina, Tullytown
– Rhode Island:
Ocean House Marina, Charlestown
– South Carolina:
River Hills Marina Club, Lake Wylie
– South Dakota:
Cedar Shore Resort, Oacoma
– Tennessee:
Nashville Shores Yacht Club & Marina, Hermitage
– Texas:
Cottonwood Creek Marina, Little Elm
– Vermont:
West River Marina, Brattleboro
– Virginia:
Fishing Bay Harbor Marina, Deltaville
Full Tilt Marine, Inc., Woodbridge
– Washington:
Elliot Bay Marina, Seattle
Squalicum Yacht Club, Bellingham
– Wisconsin:
Manitowoc County SAFE KIDS Chapter – Manitowoc County Health Department, Manitowoc
- For more of the latest news, click here.
- To discuss this topic with other recreational marine industry professionals, click here.
