HIGGINS LAKE– Float Safe Stations have been installed at the Gerrish Township Marina, and Carlos Park, on the northeast side of Higgins Lake. Float Safe Stations hold life preservers and floatation rings which may be thrown out to a person in peril.
C.O.O.R., Great Start Family Liaison, Tammy Tyler, and Gerrish Township, partnered to install the two Life Jacket Loaner Stations. Life jackets are available in a variety of sizes from infants to adults, and may be borrowed as needed, and returned to the stations afterward.
Gerrish Township Clerk, Michelle Squires, noted that Tyler worked tirelessly to acquire grants to help defray costs involved. The goal is to save the lives of those boating, jet skiing, or youngsters playing near the water.
The Life Jacket Loaner program began in 1997 by the BoatUS Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safe, clean, and responsible boating practices. Their work is primarily funded through grants and individual donations. The Gerrish program is also partnered with SEA TOW Foundation.
Great Start Float Safe Loaner Stations will partner with local DNR officers, EMS responders and law enforcement to identify the areas of need in the county. Loaner stations will be maintained through partnership with MDNR, local law enforcement, and Great Start. Weekly checks will be made to track use, condition and maintain life jackets and safety rings.
Michigan boating laws state that all vessels must be equipped with a (PFD) personal flotation device/life jacket, for each person on board, that includes canoes and kayaks. In Michigan, twenty-one people died in recreational boating accidents in 2023.
Drowning is the leading cause of death of children ages 1-4, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14. Some of those may be attributed to inhaling water during a near-drowning incident and can develop hours or days after the initial water exposure. Children under five counts for nearly a quarter of all drowning deaths.
It is recommended that infants and toddlers playing near water should wear a PFD, as that grouping can drown in a water depth of one inch.
Marina staff and Squires stated that in the past few weeks since the stations were installed, the life jackets have been used and returned.
For more information, contact Gerrish Township Clerk, Michelle Squires at 989- 821-9313 ext 227
