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February 22, 2006
KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT LIFE JACKETS AND BOATING SAFETY
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LIFE JACKET OPTIONS
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Type 1 |
This is offshore life jacket is designed for extended survival in rough waters where immediate rescue is unlikely, such as on Lake Erie. This life jacket can turn an unconscious person to a vertical or slightly backward position. This type of jacket is required on all commercial watercraft. |
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Type 2 |
Considered the most common life jacket, this nearshore buoyancy vest is recommended for use in calm waters where the chance for a fast rescue is good, such as inland lakes and rivers. The vest comes in a variety of sizes, styles and colors, is less bulky and more affordable than Type 1 jackets. |
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Type 3 |
This jacket serves primarily as a flotation aid and is regarded as the most comfortable. Its wide range of styles makes it a good candidate for different types of boating activities and water sports. The vest is ideal for calm water situations. |
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Type 4 |
This throwable flotation device can be tossed to a person who has fallen overboard. This device should be immediately available for emergency use and should not be used for small children, nonswimmers or unconscious victims. |
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Type 5 |
This jacket, with various levels of inherent buoyancy, is especially useful to those wearing work vests and deck suits. These are designed for restricted uses or activities such as commercial whitewater rafting. |
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Inflatable Life Jackets |
While inflatable life jackets are often cooler and less bulky than traditional vests, they are not the life jacket of choice for all boating situations. This jacket is generally sized for people age 17 and older, weighing more than 80 pounds. It is not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or for use in water sports or for individuals using personal watercraft. |
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Source: Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Watercraft |
COLUMBUS, OH The benefits of wearing a life jacket are obvious. When properly fitted and worn, life jackets can save lives. In fact, hundreds of lives a year could be saved in the United States if boaters and their passengers took proper precautions and wore properly fitting life jackets.“Most accidents occur with little or no advance warning, leaving little opportunity to obtain a life jacket from a boat deck or storage unit,” said Mike Quinn, interim chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft.
All boaters are required by law to have U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets aboard for each of their passengers. The life jackets must be of the appropriate size and type. Ohio law requires all children under the age of 10 to wear a life jacket on boats under 18 feet. And anyone, regardless of age, who is riding a personal watercraft or being towed behind a boat, must wear a life jacket.
Nearly 85 percent of all boating-related fatalities in the United States involve victims who were not wearing a life jacket, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
It is recommended that all boaters properly wear a life jacket when:
- They cannot swim or are a weak swimmer
- Boating alone or at night
- The water is dangerously cold
- In swift currents and rough or severe water conditions
For more information about boating safety, including boating safety education courses and safety tips, visit the ODNR web site at ohiodnr.com
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