The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division has been awarded three Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program stations that are at three locations across the state.
The three stations are located at the following boat ramps
Cypress Bend Park
Many, La 71449
3636 W Prien Lake Rd.
Lake Charles, La 70605
Hill Top Marina
Maurepas, La 70449
These three Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program stations provide personal flotation devices (PFD) to boaters who are about to hit the water and realize they don’t have enough PFDs for the amount of people they will have on board that day. When facing that situation, the boater can simply visit a life jacket loaner station and take the PFDs needed for his trip and then return them when the boater is done boating for the day all free of charge.
“This is a great program that we hope people will utilize as it helps boaters adhere to current safe boating regulations and most importantly help keep them safe while on the water,” said Col. Stephen Clark, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division. “These life jacket loaner stations are perfect for the boaters that add a person to their group at the last minute and need an extra life jacket for that day. We hope to add more of these stations in the near future.”
PFD regulations state that a vessel must have a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD readily available for all occupants on board any vessel in Louisiana. It is also required for anyone 16 years of age and younger to wear a properly fitted PFD while underway on a vessel less than 26 foot long.
From 2020-24, there were 96 recreational boating fatalities in Louisiana. Of those 96 fatalities, 78 (or 81%), were not wearing a PFD.
For a map of where other Sea Tow Life Jacket Loaner Stations are at, please visit https://fortress.maptive.com/ver4/effcd269aeae4687eaf8ea85f77977d3/564743.
