[OSMB-News] News Release -Recreating Around Water? Wear a Life Jacket

[Massey, Ashley]

For Immediate Release            Date: Thursday, July 17, 2014

Recreating Around Water?  Wear a Life Jacket
[cid:image002.jpg at 01CFA1C6.EC924840]      Most boaters already know they're required to have a properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on board for every passenger on their boat and that it needs to be "readily accessible."  But what keeps people from actually wearing one?  It's surprising when you ask adults why they don't put one on when they're boating:
"I won't fall overboard."
"I've been boating my entire life."
"I've been out on this same lake for decades and nothing's ever happened."
"I'm a good swimmer."
     When the temperature outside gets hot, the lure of the water can be hard to resist.  But most waterways, especially rivers, are fed by snow melt and remain cold through most of the year -well into summer.  Cold water and hot surface temperatures can lead to muscle cramping with just a minutes of exposure.  For people floating in single inner tubes, even though they aren't considered a boat and are exempt from state life jacket requirements, are even more prone to muscle cramping.  Many rivers have a strong undercurrent, and if a person falls out of their inner tube, the tube will float downstream faster than they can grab it.  Add muscle cramping and cold water, and that could mean trouble.
     The Oregon State Marine Board and other boating safety advocates recommend that all boaters and passengers not only have a life jacket, but "Wear It!" at all times while boating.  Why?  Because
accidents on the water happen too fast to realistically put one on in an emergency.  U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in 77 percent of recreational boating fatalities in 2013, and that 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. That's why boating safety advocates continue to push for increased and consistent life jacket wear on the water.
     The good news is that today's life jackets are much more comfortable, lightweight and stylish than the old, bulky orange horse collar styles from decades ago.  Life jackets that use inflatable technologies are lightweight, keep the wearer cool, are extremely comfortable and resemble a pair of suspenders or a belt pack.
     Other life jacket styles are available for almost any boating activity:
For fishing: Vest-style life jackets come with features such as pockets and clips that can replace a fishing vest and keep the angler safe.
For personal watercraft and water sports: Inherently buoyant, lighter-weight life jackets are rugged, with multiple buckles and clasps to keep them secure after impact with the water.
For paddling: Special life jackets are designed with large openings for arms to allow ease of movement.  For Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), many paddlers are opting for the inflatable belt-pack style.  This type of life jacket is worn in the front, not the back, because once the pack is deployed, the life jacket will inflate forward, and allow the person to easily slip it over their head.
For children: There are specifically-designed, inherently buoyant life jackets that come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and types.   Many styles include straps attached to a head cushion that make pulling a child from the water much easier and ensures a child's head can remain face-up when they're in the water.
For pets: Life jackets are even available for our four-legged friends.  It's helpful to purchase one with a handle on top to easily pull your pet out of the water, if needed.
No matter what the activity or style chosen, the most important thing is: remember to select a life jacket that you like, is designed for the activity you're doing and to "Wear It!"



How to Choose the Right Life Jacket
[cid:image004.jpg at 01CFA1C6.EC924840]Try It On -It's a must
*       To get started, check the manufacturer's ratings for your size and weight.
*       Make sure the life jacket is zipped or buckled.
*       Do the "Touch-Down Test," by raising your arms straight up over your head with the life jacket on.  Grab the jacket from the shoulders and lift up.  The shoulder straps should not come up past your ears.  Try tightening the buckles once again, and repeat.  If the jacket still rises above the ears, go down a size.
*       If the buckles overlap once they're connected, then the jacket is too big, so go down a size.
*       Many life jacket styles are short-waisted, so don't go by the length to determine proper fit.  The most important factor is how the jacket rises because this is how it will float you in the water.
*       If the life jacket rides up over your chin or face, it does NOT fit properly.  A snug fit, not a restrictive one, signals a properly fitting life jacket.
Important Reminders
*       Make sure your life jacket is U.S. Coast Guard-approved.
*       Double check that your life jacket is appropriate for your favorite boating activities.
*       Take the time to ensure a proper fit.
*       Life jackets designed for adults do not work for children. If you are boating with children, make sure they are wearing properly fitted, child-sized life jackets. Do not buy a life jacket for your child to "grow into."  There are life jacket exchange events held by many boating safety advocates throughout the year.  Consider exchanging a outgrown life jackets for ones that will currently fit your children.
[cid:image006.png at 01CFA1C6.EC924840]
In Oregon, children under 13 years old must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket on recreational vessels that are underway, unless they are below decks or in an enclosed cabin.  Boaters who recreate on whitewater rivers rated with Class III or higher rapids are also required to wear a properly fitting, U. S. Coast Guard approved life jacket.
For more information about life jackets and boating and water safety in Oregon, visit http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/pages/safety/lifejacket.aspx.

###


Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
Ashley.massey at state.or.us<mailto:Ashley.massey at state.or.us>

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