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| Hunters and Anglers Urged to Wear a Life Jacket: You Never Know When You May Need It | The National Safe Boating Council, a lead organization of the North American Safe Boating Campaign, encourages hunters and anglers to be responsible at all times while on the water. “While hunters may not think of themselves as boaters, if they are using boats, canoes and kayaks it’s important they have the right gear for being on the water – and that includes a life jacket,” said Rachel Johnson, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council. Life jackets are designed for a boater’s recreational water activity – from inflatable belt-packs for anglers to U.S. Coast Guard-approved float coats for hunters. Inflatable life jackets provide buoyancy when inflated by a CO2 cylinder, and inherently buoyant life jackets use foam or other buoyant materials to stay afloat. Inflatable life jackets should be inspected prior to use, particularly when around sharp equipment like fishing gear, which can cause tears or leaks that may go unnoticed. “It’s not enough to just own a life jacket – you must always wear it,” continued Johnson. In 2015, the Coast Guard counted 4,158 accidents that involved 626 deaths, 2,613 injuries and approximately $42 million of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents. Where cause of death was known, 85 percent of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing life jackets. Other essential boating gear includes visual distress signals, sound producing devices, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or personal locator beacon (PLB), fire extinguishers, navigation lights, and correct permits and decals. All boaters, including hunters, should always leave a float plan with at least one person on land so they know where to find them if needed. Also be sure to check your local state’s hunting regulations. For boaters storing their boat in the off-season, please visit SafeBoatingCampaign.com for additional safety tips. Wear It! unites the efforts of a wide variety of boating safety advocates and is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Follow at Facebook.com/SafeBoatCampaign and on Twitter at @BoatingCampaign. Media
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