Kid's lifejackets - keeping them safe

5:24 AM Wed 18 Mar 2009 GMT

'Ill fitting life jackets can be dangerous' .

Summer will soon be here in the northern hemisphere and for many parents, this may be the first time the family goes boating. To make sure everyone is ready, the non-profit BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Waterhas three free online resources at www.BoatUS.com/foundation/LJLP/fit_videoto make sure the kids are safe:

How to properly fit a kid's lifejacket:
Having a child wear an adult or incorrectly sized life jacket could be as dangerous as having no life jacket at all, giving parents a false sense of security. A short online video explains how to fit a right-sized life jacket to your child.

How to borrow a kid's life jacket if you don't have one:
Boaters don't always have every kid-sized life jacket aboard. However, if you are located in the USA, the BoatU.S. Foundation has over 500 locations across the country - local marinas, fire departments and other waterfront businesses - where parents can borrow a kid's life jacket (in various sizes) for the day or weekend, absolutely free.

While advice about life jacket use is valid the world over, for readers in the USA the Web site also allows parents to search for a Kid's Life Jacket Loaner location near them. The program loaned out over 90,000 life jackets last year, and three lives have been saved to date.

Know your state's life jacket laws: Confused about who needs a life jacket? The Web site has a state-by-state listing of life jacket regulations.

For more information on boating water safety specific to the USA and the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water go to BoatUS.com/foundation .

About the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:
Founded in 1981, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 600,000 members of BoatU.S. It excels in providing safe, smart and clean boating resources for boat owners nationwide.

by BoatU.S.

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Kid's lifejackets - keeping them safe

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