Kent Teams up with BoatUS Foundation on Life Jacket Loaner Program

Every parent knows that kids love to swim and play around in the water, whether a pool, the beach, or at the lake.  It's great fun and also good exercise, but it can be more dangerous than most people think. Accidental drowning is the second leading cause of death, behind motor vehicle accidents, among children ages 1-14, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is one of the reasons Kent Sporting Goods Company teamed up with BoatUS Foundation in their Life Jacket Loaner Program.   This program lends out childen's life jackets for the day or weekend to families who have a temporary need for one.   Infant, Child, and Youth sizes are available to fit most children.   According to Ruth Wood, President of BoatUS Foundation, life jackets are loaned out 90,000 times each year.    "We know this popular program saves kids' lives and keeps boating families safe", adds Wood.

Quality supervision is also essential for keeping kids safe around water.  A recent survey by Harris Interactive found that 88% of children were under some form of supervision when they drowned. 

"We have done research that indicates children whose parents wear life jackets around water are more likely to wear one themselves", says Jen Medeairs Costello of the National Safe Kids Campaign.  That group and the U.S. Coast Guard strongly recommend adults always wear life jackets to keep themselves safe and to demonstrate safe behavior to their children.

Kent Sporting Goods Company recommends selecting the right personal flotation device (PFD) for your child begins with weighing them and measuring their chest size under their arms.  Other guidelines include:

Trying the life jacket on the child in the store to be sure it fits snugly.  Test it by lifting the child up by the shoulders of the PFD to make sure it will not slip over the chin or ears.

If the child does not swim, parents may want to choose a Type II PFD, which helps keep the child's face out of the water.  Children often have difficulty floating face up because of their weight distribution and their tendency to struggle or attempt to climb out of the water.

Leg straps are particularly important on children's life jackets, as they keep the product in place.  They should be used whenever the life jacket is worn.

If you'd like more information on the Life Jacket Loaner Program, please contact BoatUS Foundation: boatingsafety@boatus.com

For more water safety tips or additional information, please contact Kent Sporting Goods Company: kent@kentwatersports.com