SACRAMENTO, California -- Visit any U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District recreation park May 16 to exchange your old or damaged life jacket for a new Coast Guard-approved one.
The Corps is partnering with the California Department of Boating and Waterways for the 16th Annual Life Jacket Trade-In, allowing visitors to get their life jackets inspected by safety professionals and get a new one for free if they find any deficiencies.
"It's great to see everyone wearing a life jacket while boating at our parks. But all too often they are very old or don't fit correctly and that can be dangerous too,” said Jonathan Friedman, senior district park ranger for the Sacramento District. “If you're going to spend any time on the water this summer, the easiest way to stay safe is to make sure your life jacket is good to go."
This event is being conducted in coordination with National Safe Boating Week, which heightens awareness among recreational boaters about the importance of always wearing a life jacket and the options available for staying safe during a variety of water activates by wearing new modern variations of the life jacket.
All 10 of our Sacramento District recreation parks will be participating in the May 16 trade-in event, and you can find your nearest park here: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Locations/SacramentoDistrictParks.aspx.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is America’s largest provider of outdoor recreation opportunities on federal public lands, serving more than 350 million visitors annually at 422 lake and river recreation parks in 43 states.
For a full list of other participating locations across the state check out http://www.dbw.ca.gov/BoaterInfo/LifeJacketTradeIn.aspx.
Release no. 15-019