U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Public Affairs

October 3, 2009

Contact: Anthony Turner
(310) 488-0723
anthony.j.turner@uscg.mil
http://www.news.auxpa.org

NEWS RELEASE

Wearing a lifejacket can make the difference between being rescued or being recovered.

WASHINGTON - It is not unusual for the Coast Guard and other rescuers to search for a person who ended up in the water unexpectedly. All too often the search and rescue evolves into a search and recovery because the person was not wearing a lifejacket. 

It is not uncommon for boaters and/or their passengers to unexpectedly find themselves in the water without a lifejacket. Some survive and unfortunately some do not. Not wearing a lifejacket while boating, including, canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding is like playing "Russian Roulette." 

The chances of a non-swimmer surviving a fall overboard if not wearing a lifejacket are remote if not rescued quickly.  "Not to wear a lifejacket whether you are a swimmer or not is to take an unnecessary risk, you never know when you might end up in the water", said Anthony Turner a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

There many excuses for not wearing a lifejacket, such as "they are uncomfortable" or "too expensive." U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejackets range in price from as low as $15.00 to about $400.00 for the top of the line inflatable, although, even the most expensive lifejacket is of no value if it is not worn.

It is undisputable a lifejacket can and will save a life if properly worn, but what about preventing boating mishaps in the first place. Since most boating mishaps are caused by operator inattention, inexperience, and speeding resulting in collisions, remembering and following a few simple boating rules of the road, such as keeping a sharp lookout for other boat traffic, can help prevent collisions.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service's missions.

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