What began in 2008 as a single life jacket loaner booth for boaters to borrow any size preserver before going on the water, has now turned into the world’s largest life jacket loaner program.
And, they crossed a huge milestone last month, setting up location number 1,000 at the beach in Clearwater, Florida.
The program now operates loaner stations in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands—all thanks to a Long Island, New York captain.
Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer kept seeing boating accidents and tragedies that could have been prevented, so he decided to start the nonprofit Sea Tow Foundation in 2007 to provide the education and resources to eliminate them.
He started the Life Jacket Loaner program the following year to prevent drowning by providing free life jackets that boaters of any size can borrow and return at the end of their outing.
The lifelong seafaring New Yorker passed away in 2015, but his legacy lives on through the efforts of the foundation and his daughter Kristen, who is now president of the board.
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“Since 2008, we’ve distributed over 90,000 life jackets,” said Gail Kulp, the group’s Executive Director.
“We believe that financial struggles or lack of access to resources should never be an obstacle to safety.”
“It’s truly game-changing when someone puts on a life jacket,” according to Capt. Kahle, the Commander of US Coast Guard in St. Petersburg. “The statistics don’t lie—life jackets save lives.”
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“This means an awful lot from an outreach and education standpoint,” said Brian Rehwinkel, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. “If you don’t have a life jacket, you can’t wear one. With this program there’s no reason for someone to go out on the water without one.
Going on the water and need a lifesaver? Check out the map of every loaner location, here. People can donate life jackets, too, according to the Foundation’s website.
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Learn more about starting your own Life Jacket Loaner Stand, or make a tax-deductible donation to the Sea Tow Foundation on their website, BoatingSafety.com.
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All for it! Every state should require all boaters and open water swimmers to wear life jackets. Concession stands can provide rentable life preservers. “How much is your life worth?” Yes, even “expert” swimmers have drowned from rip tides and boating accidents without life jackets. Totally on board with this idea!