Public Access to Free Life Jackets Provided to Help Make Local Boating Safer
CAPE MAY – Sea Tow Cape May, the leading on-water assistance provider for Cape May and Cumberland Counties, recently opened a new ‘Life Jacket Loaner Stand’ on May 26. These stands hold life jackets provided courtesy of the Sea Tow Foundation that boaters may borrow to replace missing or damaged life jackets or use for extra guests on board their boats. The life jackets are available in a variety of sizes, including children’s sizes, which is useful because the U.S. Coast Guard requires all children under 13 years of age to wear life jackets when a boat is underway.
The new Sea Tow Life Jacket Loaner stands are located at the Spicers Creek Boat Ramp in the Lucky Bones parking lot.
“All boaters should have the right number of usable life jackets on board. But in case they come up short, they’ll have the peace of mind of knowing they can borrow them from our new Life Jacket Loaner Stands,” said Captain Jack Moran, franchise owner of Sea Tow Cape May.
Since 2008, the Sea Tow Foundation has distributed nearly 22,000 life jackets to boaters across the country. These life jackets are purchased through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, as administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. They are distributed to local Sea Tow Captains who make them available to boaters free of charge. Many of the Sea Tow Foundation life jackets are offered to boaters through the popular Life Jacket Loaner Stands. These stands are placed in locations where boaters will have easy access to the life jackets, such as marinas and boat ramps. Boaters may borrow the life jackets at no cost and are asked to return them at the end of the day so that they are available for others to use.
In addition to use by recreational boaters, the Sea Tow Foundation life jackets have been utilized for towing and marine assistance operations, at boat shows, boat parades, fishing tournaments and water cleanup events, and by boating camps and school groups. Sea Tow Captains also have partnered with their local marine law enforcement officers to provide them with life jackets for boaters they see as being in need.
For more information, visit www.seatowcapemay.com or call (609) 263-2222.