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Water Safety Month Tip – Wear a Life Jacket

Always wear a life jacket when out on the water

May is National Water Safety Month and this week the Seattle Fire Department would like to encourage community members to wear a life jacket when out on the water. Most drownings are preventable. Even a strong swimmer can become overwhelmed by the cold waters in our area and lose the ability to swim to safety. According to Seattle-King County Public Health, 29 people in King County died from drowning in 2021. Most of those deaths could have been prevented with a life jacket.

It’s important to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket when kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, tubing, rafting, swimming or other activities in or on lakes, rivers, salt water, or pools without a lifeguard. Life jacket information for children and teens.

More water safety resources:

Water Safety – King County

Drowning Prevention – CDC

Life jacket discount information

Drowning Prevention and Water Safety – Seattle Children’s

En español: Prevención de ahogamiento