To support and encourage water safety, five new life-jacket loaner stations are opening at provincial parks across Alberta, making a total of 15.
The life-jacket loaner station programs are self-serve kiosks, where visitors can borrow life-jackets and return them after use. Life-jackets are available at no cost in infant to adult sizes.
“Heading into the long weekend, many people are going to be enjoying the stunning lakes and rivers in Alberta,” said Richard Starke, minister of tourism, parks and recreation. “Life-jackets save lives. Our lifejacket loaner stations help encourage everyone who heads out on the water to wear a life-jacket.”
Area stations van be found at Aspen Beach Provincial Park on Gull Lake near Bentley, and Pigeon Lake Provincial Park near Wetaskiwin
“In support of our health and safety mandate for drowning and injury prevention, the life-jacket loaner station program promotes safe behavior in, on and around water,” said Shaun Percival, development manager with the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories. “With each kiosk displaying water safety messaging and the parks representatives engaging with the public about the importance of wearing a life-jacket, we hope to encourage safe participation in water-related activities and create a positive experience for park visitors.”
The life-jacket loaner station program is a partnership between Tourism, Parks and Recreation, the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories and the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research.
Albertans are encouraged to bring their own life-jackets to provincial parks. The life-jacket loaner station program provides an opportunity for those who do not own a life-jacket, are a life-jacket short, or realize upon arrival that their lifejacket does not fit. Introduced in 2010, the loaner stations serve as a visual reminder to visitors to wear a life-jacket. Life-jacket loaner stations are operational in the summer months through the September long weekend.