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A loaner station consists of a kiosk, instructions on how to properly fit a life jacket, and a variety of life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult extra-large.
Life jackets at these loaner stations are provided free of charge for the public for short-term use. Stations are installed adjacent to boat launch facilities so they are easily accessible to the boating public.
“The life jacket loaner station program started in Idaho in 2010 with a few stations at state park facilities in North Idaho and has expanded all over the state,” said Juelie Traska, boating education safety coordinator for Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
Many stations are installed with the assistance of local partners such as a sheriff’s office, county parks departments or federal agencies. A few stations have also been installed at swimming areas in partnership with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and several stations have been installed and are managed by Idaho Power.
Traska credits the dedication of local resources as a major driving force behind the program and that IDPR recognizes that many agencies and individuals are committed to injury prevention and have embraced the program with open arms.
Traska would also like to remind the public about Idaho’s life jacket law for children, which requires children 14 years of age and younger to wear a life jacket when underway in boats 19 feet or less. This law applies to powerboats as well as non-motorized boats like kayaks, rafts, canoes, sailboats and stand-up paddleboards.
The sheriff’s office partnered with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to get this station installed in Boundary County.
According to Sheriff Kramer and Marine Deputy Caleb Watts, boaters occasionally forget to bring extra life jackets for friends or sometime life jackets are lost while trailering a boat.
Having a loaner station at a popular boat ramp on the Kootenai River allows these people to borrow a life jacket for the day and in turn keeps them safe while recreating on the water.
Construction of the loaner stations and purchase of the life jackets are funded with grant money provided to state of Idaho from the United States Coast Guard.
For more information regarding the program contact Juelie Traska at (208) 514-2417 or email juelie.traska@idpr.idaho.gov, or Sheriff’s Marine Deputy Caleb Watts at (208) 267-3151.
For more information on boating safety visit www.boatidaho.gov.