U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Public Affairs
Tom Loughlin
Public Affairs Officer
tom-bon@msn.com
Public Affairs
Tom Loughlin
Public Affairs Officer
tom-bon@msn.com
News Release
Comfortable Life Jackets: NOT an Oxymoron
Comfortable Life Jackets: NOT an Oxymoron
Most of us have seen the life jackets worn on cruise ships. They are big and bulky and really ugly. But if that ship sinks out to sea that really ugly and bulky life jacket will save your life.
Hey, wait a minute. You aren’t out to sea and you don’t need to wear one of those big ones. But what do you wear to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones?
Most of us enjoy boating on lakes or within a few miles of dry land. Most of us know that 70-80% of fatal boating accidents victims died by drowning and that 85-90% of them drowned because they were not wearing a life jacket. Some of us even know that well over 400 lives could have been saved last year if life jackets had been worn. Then why don’t we wear life jackets whenever we are on the water?
We say “they’re bulky,” “they get in the way,” or “they are uncomfortable” to explain why we don’t wear a life jacket all the time, knowing that not wearing a life jacket has led to lives lost. These words have been a poor excuse for way too long. Now we have the best of all worlds. Now we can protect ourselves and those we love without sacrificing comfort.
Inflatable life jackets! They are approved for adults 16 years and older and come in so many colors and styles that you will have a hard time choosing the one you want.
The lightweight inflatable life jacket totally eliminates the excuse that wearing a life jacket is awkward or clumsy or cumbersome. Some are worn as a belt with a “fanny pack.” Most are rather like suspenders but with the value of being able to save your life. Fishermen and for hunters will appreciate special inflatable vests (oh yes, some hunters get to their hunting sites by water). These have extra pockets and loops for their gear and even come in camouflage colors. All of these life jackets can be brought on board aircraft if you’re flying to a boating, hunting or fishing destination.
The costs, especially in comparison to the value of your life or the lives of loved ones, are negligible. Inflatable life jackets for lakes and close inshore that are CO2 activated by pulling a lanyard will cost less than $100.00; those for offshore with automatic inflation and providing more buoyancy can range up to $200.00.
All inflatable life jackets can also be manually inflated by blowing into a tube near the wearer’s mouth. Children, and adults who are poor or non-swimmers, should continue to use the inherently buoyant Type II life jackets because in a stressful situation such as being unexpectedly thrown overboard they might forget to activate the pull cord to trigger the CO2 cartridge. www.safeboatingcampaign.com
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer civilians who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in classrooms and on the dock, performing safety patrols, vessel safety examinations and public education. The 30,000 members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.
Hey, wait a minute. You aren’t out to sea and you don’t need to wear one of those big ones. But what do you wear to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones?
Most of us enjoy boating on lakes or within a few miles of dry land. Most of us know that 70-80% of fatal boating accidents victims died by drowning and that 85-90% of them drowned because they were not wearing a life jacket. Some of us even know that well over 400 lives could have been saved last year if life jackets had been worn. Then why don’t we wear life jackets whenever we are on the water?
We say “they’re bulky,” “they get in the way,” or “they are uncomfortable” to explain why we don’t wear a life jacket all the time, knowing that not wearing a life jacket has led to lives lost. These words have been a poor excuse for way too long. Now we have the best of all worlds. Now we can protect ourselves and those we love without sacrificing comfort.
Inflatable life jackets! They are approved for adults 16 years and older and come in so many colors and styles that you will have a hard time choosing the one you want.
The lightweight inflatable life jacket totally eliminates the excuse that wearing a life jacket is awkward or clumsy or cumbersome. Some are worn as a belt with a “fanny pack.” Most are rather like suspenders but with the value of being able to save your life. Fishermen and for hunters will appreciate special inflatable vests (oh yes, some hunters get to their hunting sites by water). These have extra pockets and loops for their gear and even come in camouflage colors. All of these life jackets can be brought on board aircraft if you’re flying to a boating, hunting or fishing destination.
The costs, especially in comparison to the value of your life or the lives of loved ones, are negligible. Inflatable life jackets for lakes and close inshore that are CO2 activated by pulling a lanyard will cost less than $100.00; those for offshore with automatic inflation and providing more buoyancy can range up to $200.00.
All inflatable life jackets can also be manually inflated by blowing into a tube near the wearer’s mouth. Children, and adults who are poor or non-swimmers, should continue to use the inherently buoyant Type II life jackets because in a stressful situation such as being unexpectedly thrown overboard they might forget to activate the pull cord to trigger the CO2 cartridge. www.safeboatingcampaign.com
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer civilians who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in classrooms and on the dock, performing safety patrols, vessel safety examinations and public education. The 30,000 members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.
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