Life Jacket Loaner Boxes at Various Baldwin County Boat Launches

Jun 26, 2024, 13:18 PM

In August 2023, CPL Jessie Peacock, with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Marine Patrol Division, presented the Baldwin County Commission with the idea of placing loaner life jacket stations at various County boat launch facilities. The idea stemmed from his experiences and observations on the water as a marine patrol trooper dealing with tragic drownings and simply encountering boaters without life jackets.

The County partnered with the North Baldwin Center for Technology and the South Baldwin Center for Technology to construct seven (7) life jacket loaner station boxes. Students from both schools gained practical hands-on carpentry experience and the opportunity to be a part of a community project that could help save lives on our local waterways.

The Baldwin County Commission officially unveiled the new Life Jacket Loaner Boxes and recognized ALEA, the North Baldwin Center for Technology, and the South Baldwin Center for Technology for their partnership on this project during the May 7, 2024, Baldwin County Commission Meeting.

The seven (7) Life Jacket Loaner Boxes stocked with loaner life jackets have been installed at the following County maintained boat launch facilities:

Live Oak Landing
Cliff's Landing
Mullet Point Park
Seminole Boat Launch
The Launch at ICW
Lillian Boat Launch
Marlow Ferry

According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, there were 658 boating-related deaths in the U.S. in 2021. 81% of these died by drowning and 83% of these people were not wearing life jackets. The Life Jacket Loaner Program intends to increase the overall safety on local waters by providing loaner life jackets at County boat launches.

We encourage anyone who forgets their life jacket to grab a life jacket to borrow from one of the boxes for their boating adventure. We only ask that the life jacket be returned to the box once you're done!