SOUTHOLD, N.Y. – The Sea Tow Foundation – a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of safe boating practices – has announced that more than 120 organizations will either build new Life Jacket Loaner Stations or receive new life jackets to restock existing stations in 2019, as part of the Foundation’s ongoing effort to keep boaters safe.
From a California harbor to a lake in Maine, more boaters around the country will have access to life jackets that they can borrow for the day, free of charge. In total, 24 organizations will receive new Life Jacket Loaner Stations, while at least 95 other organizations will receive loaner life jackets to replenish existing stations or to stock new ones they plan to build in the future.
These new stations will be unveiled by the following organizations in the corresponding states:
Catawba Sail and Power Squadron, SC
City of Oceanside Harbor Division, CA
Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Greenland Point, ME
National Park Service – Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, PA
North Sterling Reservoir State Park, CO
Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department, FL
Safe Kids Upstate, SC
Sea Tow Boston, MA
Sea Tow Cape May, NJ
Sea Tow Port Canaveral, FL
Sea Tow Portland/Midcoast, ME
Sea Tow Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Sea Tow South Mississippi, MS
Snake River Fund, WY
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Berlin Lake, OH
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Conchas Dam, NM
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District, OH
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Raystown Lake, PA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tioga-Hammond & Cowanesque Lakes Project, PA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walter F. George, GA
USCG Auxiliary Edmond, OK
USCG Auxiliary, Flotilla 054-08-03, VA
USCG Auxiliary, Flotilla 67, VA
Winthrop Yacht Club, MA
The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Stations are set up at marinas, fuel docks, boat ramps and other boating hot spots for convenient access. Each station is stocked with life jackets ranging in size from infant to Adult XL. Currently, there are more than 550 Life Jacket Loaner Stations in 42 states across the country, providing more than 50,000 loaner life jackets for those who head out on the water.
These stations are made possible by donations and corporate sponsorships, as well as grant funds provided through the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund. This is the 10th consecutive year of grant funding for this program.
“We’re thankful for the Coast Guard’s commitment to promoting boater safety through our life jacket loaner program,” said Gail R. Kulp, the Sea Tow Foundation’s executive director. “Thanks to the funding we have received for the last decade, we’ve been able to educate boaters on the importance of staying safe on the water, and these life jackets have been documented as saving numerous lives. There’s no doubt that adding more Life Jacket Loaner Stations and restocking existing loaner stations will help keep even more boaters safe.”
To learn more about the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program or to find a Station near you, visit www.boatingsafety.com.
