Officials urge water safety at Wasatch Back reservoirs with life jacket loaner program

Karlee Kump, community health manager at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital (left) with McKell Christensen of the Utah Drowning Prevention Coalition. Jordanelle Life Jacket Loaner Station on May 24, 2024. Photo: TownLift // Randi Sidman-Moore

UTAH — As summer recreation ramps up across the Wasatch Back, state officials are encouraging visitors to prioritize water safety at local reservoirs through Utah’s free Life Jacket Loaner Station Program.

Self-serve stations offering free U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are available at several nearby recreation destinations, including Jordanelle State Park, Deer Creek State Park, and East Canyon State Park.

At Jordanelle, the loaner station is located at the Hailstone beach pavilion and includes life jackets in a variety of sizes for both children and adults.

The statewide program is designed to reduce preventable drownings by improving access to life-saving equipment at popular boating and swimming destinations.

The initiative is a partnership between the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, Utah Division of State Parks and Intermountain Children’s Health, which helps oversee 23 life jacket loaner stations throughout Utah’s state parks system.

Officials say the stations are especially important as reservoirs across northern Utah begin seeing larger summer crowds for boating, paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming.

Utah law requires one life jacket per person aboard a vessel, and children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while boating. Safety officials also encourage adults to wear life jackets and model safe behavior for younger recreationists.

“Do not just pack it — wear it,” the campaign states.

Officials warn that cold water temperatures, rapidly changing weather, and unexpected falls overboard can quickly create dangerous conditions, even during warm summer weather.

Before heading onto the water, the state recommends checking that life jackets fit properly. Sizing should be based on weight rather than age, with all zippers, buckles, and straps secured tightly enough that the jacket does not ride up above a person’s ears when pulled at the shoulders.

The stations are free for public use, with visitors encouraged to borrow a jacket for the day and return it afterward so others can use it throughout the season.