At the Sea Tow Foundation, we're passionate about boating safety and are proud to highlight some of our incredible 2024 Life Jacket Loaner Program awardees. This year, we've hit a major milestone – we officially have Life Jacket Loaner Stations established in all 56 states and territories. This means more communities than ever will have access to free, properly fitting life jackets to help prevent drowning incidents.
Thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, we’ve awarded life jackets to 116 groups across 45 states and territories. Of these, 49 are opening Life Jacket Loaner Stations for the first time. Many of these communities were motivated by local water-related tragedies, showing the profound impact of our program.
Here are two inspiring stories from our recent recipients:
Troop 37's Mission for their Town of Swanville
After the tragic drowning of 41-year-old Christopher N. Friedrich at Swan Lake, the Town of Swanville was deeply affected and saw the urgent need for life jackets. Cindy Boguen, the local Selectboard Chair, noticed many boaters without life jackets on the water. After seeing a life jacket station at another site, Cindy reached out to a local boy scout troop bout installing a stand at a nearby boat launch. As part of his Eagle Scout project, Aidan Howard from Boy Scout Troop 37applied for life jackets from the Sea Tow Foundation and built the loaner stand, which will have a profound and lasting impact on his community.
This award means a great deal to Aidan and his town. “A loaner stand will make it easy for people to access life jackets when they need them. The Town of Swanville believes that these measures will help to make Swan Lake a safe place for everyone to enjoy.”
Preventing Future Tragedies: Marina at Amesbury Point’s Commitment to Water Safety
Amesbury, Massachusetts, was greatly impacted by multiple drowning incidents two years ago, resulting in the loss of six lives, including a 4-year-old child. Bill Neelon and the Marina at Amesbury Point wanted to prevent future tragedies and improve water safety in the community. Through the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program, they’re establishing a life jacket loaner stand to provide essential safety gear and educate boaters about local water risks.
“Each waterway and river is unique and poses different currents and challenges,” Bill said. “If we can prevent one incident because of these life jackets, then we have won at some level.
These are only two of the numerous stories that highlight how local leaders and the Life Jacket Loaner Program awardees are making a real difference in their communities. Through the dedication of hard working volunteers and the support from the Sea Tow Foundation, life jacket loaner stands are enhancing safety, one jacket at a time. By continuing to expand this vital program, we can ensure that even more boaters are protected, creating safer waterways for everyone. The commitment of our Life Jacket Loaner Station hosts and the collective effort of all involved highlights the importance of proactive safety measures in preventing future tragedies.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, February 12, 2021
Updated: Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Looking Back on the Miami International Boat Show
The memory of those beautiful, mid-February days in Miami don’t fade very fast. They remind us of that time of year when members of the Sea Tow Foundation load up crates of life jackets and boating safety material, and then ship them out for the Miami International Boat Show. But that won’t be happening this year.
For the last 33 years, boating enthusiasts from around the globe, have excitedly attended the largest boat show in the United States. However, in an effort to keep everyone safe during the pandemic, show organizers decided to cancel the event this year. While we’re sad that we won’t be teaming up with our Miami friends and volunteers, we realize it’s the best decision.
One thing is for certain though, we have lots of memories from previous years and we’d like totake a moment to reflect back.
The Sea Tow Foundation has attended the show for the last 12 years and we have hosted a Life Jacket Loaner Stand there for the past four.
The docks at the Miami Boat Show are crowded and families often wanted to take test rides on the many boats for sale, but children’s life jackets were not always available, and some would forget to bring their own.Thankfully, the Sea Tow Foundation brought their nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Station program to the show attendees so that life jackets could be provided in all sizes including infant, child, youth and adult..
The faces of children, their parents and individuals from all walks of life also standout as a happy memory. Thousands of people have visited our life jacket loaner stands to borrow life jackets and many more received our information on boating safety. Our goals were being accomplished every day at the show by the sheer number of individuals we were able to influence with a positive message.
The Foundation’s participation in the show has evolved over the years as well.
Last year, we launched our first ever “Life Jacket Selfie Giveaway Contest.” Through a partnership with the boat show organizer, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) as well as partnerships with Onyx, FELL Marine, FishGillz, Navionics, Source4 and Formula Boats. As a part of this contest, the Sea Tow Foundation gave away five prize packages, valued at $3,600 each, to the show attendees and boaters watching from home. To be entered to win, participants had to take a selfie while wearing a life jacket at the show, post the photo to social media with the hashtag #LifeJackets4theWin, and tag the Sea Tow Foundation. As a result, social media was filled with posts from individuals eager to enter the contest, while our message of wearing life jackets reached thousands.
The Sea Tow Foundation plans to continue the tradition of ensuring boating can be safe AND fun next February at the Miami International Boat Show. In the meantime, don’t forget to wear your life jacket on the water. You can borrow one for free from the Sea Tow Foundation’s nationwide network of life jacket loaner stations or you can purchase one just for you – either way, the best life jacket is the one that you will wear.
Have you attended the Miami Boat Show in the past and visited our Foundation’s booth? Share with us your experience in the comments below.
Sea Tow Foundation Adds New Life Jacket Loaner Stations
SOUTHOLD, N.Y. – The Sea Tow Foundation – a national nonprofit dedicated to the education and awareness of safe boating practices – announced today that it has partnered with an additional 87 organizations and agencies to add new or restock existing Life Jacket Loaner Stations for the 2020 Summer boating season.
With more than 650 Life Jacket Loaner Stations already located throughout the United States, the Sea Tow Foundation is also offering tips and guidelines for boaters using life jackets from a loaner station, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many agencies and organizations depend on our experience and knowledge in boating safety and our expertise in life jacket loaner programs,” said Gail Kulp, executive director of the Sea Tow Foundation. “Since the virus has impacted all of us in one way or another, we know it is important to provide guidance to boaters that want to borrow life jackets from our loaner stands. We want to continue to ensure that drownings can be prevented through loaner life jackets that are available to be borrowed at no cost.”
With the health and safety of boaters and life jacket loaner station hosts in mind, the Sea Tow Foundation is providing the following tips and guidelines for consideration:
1. Follow local and state guidelines regarding closures of beaches, boat ramps, marinas, and other locations that have traditionally provided life jacket loaner stations. If one of these locations is closed, a loaner station previously located there will not be available.
2. Do not go boating or spend time in public if you have a fever or are feeling sick.
3. Wear your life jacket if you go boating and ensure that children under age 13 are wearing their life jackets while the boat is in motion as required by the U.S. Coast Guard.
4. Be sure to also follow the other Sea Tow Foundation social distancing tips while boating.
The Sea Tow Foundation has also provided some general cleaning and disinfecting guidelines for cleaning life jackets.
“We consulted Onyx Outdoor, the manufacturer we purchase our loaner life jackets from, as well as representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, who oversee our grant for the life jacket loaner program, to help develop signage and language to include on every loaner station,” Kulp noted. “Stickers are being provided to each loaner station host in the coming weeks and new loaner station signage will be printed with the wording already on it.”
All Sea Tow Foundation life jacket loaner stations will contain the following language:
“Life jackets are provided for the community. Each user who borrows a life jacket is obligated to inspect the life jacket prior to use and to return it clean and in good working order for the next user. These life jackets are not inspected or maintained after each use. Life jackets are borrowed at your own risk.”
Through its Life Jacket Loaner program, the Sea Tow Foundation has distributed more than 65,000 life jackets to local businesses, agencies and organizations across the country since 2008 to develop life jacket loaner programs in their local areas.
The more than 650 life jacket loaner stations currently in operation are placed in locations where boaters will have easy access to the life jackets, such as boat ramps, marinas, and parks. Boaters may borrow the life jackets at no cost and are asked to return them when they are finished so that they are available for others to use.
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