You may not wear your life jacket to work, but you could probably still do your job if you did. And if it’s that easy to wear, you should wear it on the water, too.
Saree Sasson demonstrates just how easy wearing a life jacket can be
Today is Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day, an awareness campaign by the North American Safe Boating Council to kick off National Safe Boating Week (May 21-28). Staff at Hutcheson, Reynolds and Caswell Insurance Brokers wore their life jackets to work today to underscore the importance of safe boating practices as we head into the summer.
“Lots of people keep them in their boat like they’re required to do, but they don’t wear them,” said Saree Sasson. “They are comfortable to sit and do your job in them. They can be just as comfortable when you’re on the water. Start off the summer on a good note and develop wearing your life jacket as a good habit.”
The company has shared tips for choosing and using a life jacket or PFD on their website (see them here).
The OPP is also calling for everyone to help make this boating season a safe one. There have already been eight boating deaths on OPP-patrolled waterways across Ontario, almost three times as many as this time last year. None of the victims was wearing a life jacket or PFD, and alcohol was likely a factor in all but one of the incidents.
Six of this year’s victims were either kayaking or canoeing and either fell overboard or capsized. The OPP wants to dispel any notion that fatal boating incidents on OPP-patrolled waterways usually involve motorized vessels.
“A significant number of the boating deaths we investigate every year involve canoes and kayaks. Because the victims were not wearing a life jacket, the majority of them died either because they could not swim, the water was too cold or they were impaired by alcohol or drugs. I cannot stress enough how significantly a properly worn life jacket improves your chance of survival when you are in any type of boat and suddenly find yourself in the water,” said OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support.
Having safety gear on board is not only the law but can turn a sudden life-threatening ordeal into one that is survivable. Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day is a fun initiative to highlight just how easy it is to be safe on the water.
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