After weekend drownings in WA, here are life jacket safety tips and free loaner locations
Every year approximately 108 people drown in Washington, enough for 1.44 individuals per 100,000 people in the state. That ranks the state as 16th-deadliest for drowning deaths per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That fact became clear over the weekend when a 13-year-old boy drowned at Lake Stevens in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, and two other teenagers were dragged from the lake and taken to the hospital in critical condition.
None of the teens were wearing life jackets, according to previous Tacoma News Tribune reporting.
Washington state has defined laws on life jackets for individuals on a vessel or personal watercraft. Such laws include all children under the age of 12 must wear a life jacket when on a vessel — canoes, kayaks, paddle boards — under 19 feet in length, and anyone on a personal watercraft like a jet ski or water scooter must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that of the 613 fatal boating accidents nationwide it recorded in 2019, 79% of those incidents included someone drowning, and 86% were not wearing a life jacket — that comes out to just over 416 people.
And although there are no state laws on wearing life jackets when not around a vessel, life jackets remain incredibly important for children swimming in and around lakes. According to the CDC’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of death behind motor vehicle crashes for children between the ages of 1 and 14.
The risk of hypothermia is especially prevalent in the early stages of summer for Washington as temperatures heat up, but bodies of water remain cold. Hypothermia sets in when body temperature drops below 35 degrees and can lead to cold water shock and eventually unconsciousness.
As we head into the heat of summer and Washingtonians find the nearest pool or natural body of water to cool off in, numerous life jacket resources are available to the general public to keep people safe.
Life jacket resources
The BoatUS Foundation runs a life jacket loaner program that will allow parents to loan a life jacket for their child from over 575 locations nationwide. In Tacoma, the foundation has partnered with Foss Harbor Marina, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Tacoma Outboard Association and Narrows Marina Bait and Tackle.
Life jackets can be borrowed for the day or the weekend at a loaner program location using your basic information, such as name and address, and then returned to the same location once you’re finished.
Washington State Parks also runs a life jacket loaner program with over 180 loaner stations throughout the state.
The U.S. Coast Guard provides an online brochure of the different kinds of approved life jackets:
Auto inflatable - Inflates automatically upon immersion or can be activated manually. It can turn an unconscious wearer face-up but is not recommended for children under 16, non-swimmers and use where immersion is expected.
Manual inflatable - Only inflates upon manual activation, may turn an unconscious wearer face-up, but is not recommended for children under 16, non-swimmers and use when immersion is expected.
Belt pack inflatable - An incredibly easy-to-wear belt that inflates automatically upon immersion or manual activation. Also not recommended for children under 16, non-swimmers and use when immersion is expected.
Vest - Requires little maintenance, suitable for non-swimmers and offers good flotation.
Children’s life jacket - Designed for possible immersion and may have other special safety features for children.
Whitewater paddling jacket - Intended for canoeing, kayaking, rafting and other whitewater activities. It specially fits for freedom of movement and requires little maintenance.
Several Tacoma-area stores sell life jackets for as little as $16.97, including Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
