With Only 4 Life Jacket Loaner Stations on Hudson River, More are Needed

Did you even know that these life jacket stations existed?

I understand that being in the middle of a Hudson Valley, winter is probably not the best time to write about boating safety and spending time swimming or fishing along or on the Hudson River. But anytime is a great time to potentially save a life.

Saving lives and spreading awareness of safe boating is what the folks at the Sea Tow Foundation do 365 days a year and they are looking for some help from any Hudson Valley residents that might want to host a Life Jacket Loaner Station on the Hudson River.

What is A Life Jacket Loaner Station

The life jacket loaner stations are placed in locations all across the country where boaters will have easy access to the life jackets, such as boat ramps, marinas, and parks. The loaner stations give boaters the opportunity to borrow the life jackets at no cost, they are simply asked to return them when they are finished so that they are available for others to use.

Hudson Valley Life Jacket Loaner Locations

With the Hudson Valley having the massive Hudson River flowing through it, we only currently have four locations that offer loaner life jackets. Those locations include:

Garrison Yacht Club, located at 1 Depot Square in Garrison, New York.
There are 2 stations in Newburgh, both are located at the Newburgh Municipal Boat

Ramps, located at 1 Washington Street in Newburgh, New York
Mariner's Harbor, located at 1 Broadway in Kingston, New York.

How to Become a Life Jacket Loaner Station

If you have a business or organization with a location along the Hudson River and would like to offer life jackets simply apply here. There is no cost to apply and if applicants are selected they will be notified by the end of March and a set of new Onyx life jackets will be shipped free of charge, along with everything needed to help set up and maintain a Life Jacket Loaner Station at the start of the 2022 boating season. Applications are due by February 1, 2022.