Life Jackets
The McLane Black Lake Fire Department partners with the Washington State Parks Boating Program to help boating families stay safe through the Life Jacket Loaner Program. Life jackets are available at Black Lake and Summit Lake Boat Launches, making it easy for boaters to borrow properly fitting life jackets for infants, youth, and adults—free of charge. Simply return the jackets to the same location when you're done.
Wear a Life Jacket
Boating and paddling are enjoyable activities, but they come with risks—especially in Washington, where waterways remain cold year-round. Cold-water shock is a leading cause of drowning, and it can affect anyone, regardless of age or swimming ability.
Wearing a life jacket is one of the best ways to keep yourself safe on the water.
A life jacket is one of the most effective pieces of safety gear in a boat. Studies show that if you wear a life jacket, you’re more likely to survive if something goes wrong. Remember that anyone can drown, regardless of age and swimming capabilities.
Washington State Life Jacket Laws
- All vessels (including canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards) must carry one properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (Personal Flotation Device or PFD) per person on board.
- Children 12 and under must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times when underway in vessels under 19 feet, unless inside a fully enclosed area.
- Each person on board a personal watercraft (PWC) and anyone being towed behind a boat must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket designed specifically for that activity.
- A U.S. Coast Guard-approved throwable flotation device must be on board vessels 16 feet or longer. Canoes and kayaks are exempt from this requirement.