MONTGOMERY, AL — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) announced today its support of “Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day,” scheduled for Friday, May 16, as part of a national safety awareness campaign.
ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division is joining boating professionals and outdoor enthusiasts to heighten awareness of different life jacket styles available and demonstrate their comfort and versatility by wearing them to work.
The annual event, hosted by the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), serves as a fun, educational precursor to National Safe Boating Week, May 17-23, which officially launches the 2025 Safe Boating Campaign. Educating the public about life jacket safety and comfort has been a main focus of the campaign.
“Participating in ‘Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day’ is a simple but powerful way to remind everyone that life jackets save lives,” said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. “Just like putting on a seat belt when you get into a vehicle, wearing a life jacket should be second nature when you’re on or near the water. ALEA is proud to support this national initiative to help make Alabama’s waterways safer for all.”
Colonel Jonathan Archer, Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety (DPS), emphasized that “life jackets are more comfortable, stylish, and effective than ever before. By wearing them at work, we’re showing how easy it is to stay safe on the water. ALEA is committed to promoting responsible boating and water safety—and it starts with setting the example ourselves.”
ALEA encourages participants to take photos of themselves wearing life jackets at work and post them to social media with the hashtag #wearyourlifejacketatworkday and tag the Safe Boating Campaign (@boatingcampaign), or submit directly to the NSBC at outreach@safeboatingcouncil.org.
According to U.S. Coast Guard national statistics, drowning was the reported cause of death in three out of every four recreational boating fatalities in 2023, with approximately 87 percent of those who drowned not wearing life jackets.
Members of the boating public and anyone interested in demonstrating the wearability of life jackets are encouraged to participate in this important safety awareness event.
