Loaner life vests set out for use on local rivers
A program to provide local river paddlers and floaters with free life vests to use during their trips is proving to be a victim of its own success.
Over 20 vests were put out earlier this year at three boat launches in Floyd County but as of Thursday morning, there was only one at Dixon Landing and two at the Heritage Park boat ramp. Cpl. Ben Cunningham of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said he’s pretty confident the other 17 are not at the Ga. 140 ramp.
Cunningham suggested that a lot of folks forgot to return the vests after an Independence Day weekend float on the rivers.
The DNR partnered with
the Rome Floyd Fire Department and Floyd County Emergency Management
Agency to offer the vests for kayakers, canoe paddlers, inner tubers and even motorboat users who might need an extra one.
Georgia boating regulations require that a wearable personal flotation device be available for each person aboard any vessel. Vessels are defined as anything from an air mattress to a fully registered bass boat that navigates state waters.
PFDS must be readily accessible to all occupants, in good and serviceable condition, legibly marked with the U.S. Coast Guard-approved number, and of appropriate size for the occupants.
Cunningham said the vests have been available at the Floyd County launches for about two months but he’s been trying to get the program off the ground for a couple of years. Former Gov. Nathan Deal’s wife, Sandra Deal, had a program
called SPLASH that tried to get as many life vests as possible out to public boat ramps across the state.
The county EMA and fire department got involved because both agencies are frequently involved in local water rescues.
Grant Collier, with the RFFD, said his water rescue team has had very few rescue operations through the years where people were wearing a vest. Cunningham said that in his 20-year career with the DNR Law Enforcement Division, he can’t ever recall a drowning victim that was wearing a life jacket.
Collier said they try to keep a few more vests at the Dixon Landing ramp beside the YMCA soccer fields at Grizzard Park because the float from there to downtown Rome is the most popular.
The single vest at the station Thursday didn’t appear to be one of the originals, which have the word “loaner” written on them.
That float is generally one of the safer floats for inexperienced paddlers.
The biggest obstacles are generally just trees that may have fallen into the river or, in the event of low water, the old Native American fish traps. The V-shaped rock formations were built in the water to funnel fish into their nets or baskets.
Collier said he also works closely with the Bartow County and Cartersville fire departments, which have had a similar program for several years. A lot of people make the float from U.S. 411 at Macedonia Road down to Dixon Landing on weekends. When he notices a Bartow County vest left at the Rome ramp he’ll shuttle it back up to his counterparts.
Cunningham, Collier and FCEMA Director Tim Herrington said they’re always interested in receiving donations of life vests. Preferably new vests, but they’ll accept used vests that are still in good condition.
All three officials are also hoping the public will become more conscientious about returning the vests to the stations at each of the three ramps after a day on the rivers.