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Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab to Host "Ready, Set, Wear It!" Life Jacket World Record Day | Ohio Sea Grant

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Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab to Host "Ready, Set, Wear It!" Life Jacket World Record Day

12:00 pm, Thu May 9, 2013 –

Sandusky, OH On May 18, 2013, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab join participants around the globe to heighten awareness of different life jacket types, including inflatable life jackets, and set a world record for the most inflatable life jackets worn and inflated.

The annual event, hosted by the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) in partnership with the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), serves as the kick-off to National Safe Boating Week, May 18-24, which is the official launch of the 2013 North American Safe Boating Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to educate the boating public about the safety and comfort of inflatable life jackets.

The local “Clean and Safe Boating Day”? will take place on May 18 at the Aquatic Visitors Center at Put-In-Bay, Ohio, from 11 am — 1 pm, and the official life jacket world record event will occur at 12 pm.

The Aquatic Visitors Center is located on South Bass Island’s Peach Point, approximately one mile west of downtown Put-In-Bay at the west end of the harbor. Both the Division of Watercraft and the U.S. Coast Guard will be present with their patrol boats; and staff from West Marine, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab will be sharing information about Clean and Safe Boating. Participants will also be able to tour the Aquatic Visitors Center during the event.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to recognize the importance of wearing a life jacket, and to highlight other practices that are necessary for a clean, safe, and enjoyable boating experience”? says Sarah Orlando, Ohio Clean Marinas Program Coordinator.

Last year, 3,993 people gathered at more than 145 events held around the world to set a new record for the number of participants who inflated their life jacket or wore an inherently buoyant life jacket.

U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in 70% of recreational boating fatalities in 2011, and that 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Members of the boating public — including anglers, hunters, paddlers, water skiers, and others who use boats — are encouraged to attend. More information about the event and safe boating is available at SafeBoatingCampaign.com

Ohio State University’s Ohio Sea Grant Program is part of NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 32 Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. For more information, visit ohioseagrant.osu.edu.

Contact

Sarah Orlando, Ohio Clean Marinas Program, 419.609.4120, orlando.42@osu.edu

ARTICLE TITLE: Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab to Host "Ready, Set, Wear It!" Life Jacket World Record Day PUBLISHED: 12:00 pm, Thu May 9, 2013 | MODIFIED: 1:12 pm, Tue April 28, 2015
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Christina Dierkes
Outreach Specialist, Ohio Sea Grant College Program

As Ohio Sea Grant’s science writer, Christina covers research, education and outreach projects in the Great Lakes for a wide range of audiences. She also produces online events like the Freshwater Science webinar series and other outreach events, and manages social media for Ohio Sea Grant.