ST. PAUL, Minn. – With summer activities upon us, many water enthusiasts are heading out to the rivers and lakes this coming holiday, and the Corps of Engineers urges everyone to wear a life jacket, or personal flotation device, while on the water.
Most states have laws requiring children to wear a life jacket while on the water and compliance is high; however, adults continue not to wear them. As a result, the United States averages about 700 annual boating-fatalities nationwide. Help Change this!
Corps Park Ranger Scott Tichy said, “When I talk to adults about life jackets, they all say, ‘If I need it, I’ll grab it.’ That’s like saying, ‘If I’m in a car accident, I’ll throw on my seatbelt.’”
If you haven’t shopped for a life jacket in a while you might be surprised by the variety of new styles available. There are many designs that are far more comfortable than the choices we’ve had in the past. Please spend a little time and find a life jacket that is comfortable and make a commitment to wear it while on the water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants your help to bring that 700 fatality number closer to zero.
Have a happy and safe summer! For more information on how to be safe while on the water, please visit: http://watersafety.usace.army.mil
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood risk reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. It contributes around $181 million to the five-state district economy. The 700 employees work at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.
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Release no. 12-079