Corps Foundation Donates 7000 Life Jackets

The Corps Foundation has provided 7,000 lifejackets to be used at life jacket loaner stations at lakes throughout the South Atlantic Division.  Newell Brands donated the lifejackets to the Corps Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) adult water safety campaign, “Life Jackets Worn Nobody Mourns.” The life jackets were delivered to Allatoona Lake where they will be distributed to other locations in the coming weeks.

South Atlantic Division Commander Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner said, “This is an outstanding donation. We encourage everyone who gets on a boat to wear a life jacket regardless of swimming ability. A life jacket helps to ensure that you survive unexpected slips or falls overboard because it buys you time to be rescued.  It only takes an adult an average of 60 seconds to drown and on average it takes 10 minutes for even a strong swimmer to put on a life jacket after entering the water. Water safety is of utmost importance to us, and this donation will significantly impact preventing accidents and promoting responsible recreation within the South Atlantic Division.”

The Corps Foundation is a not-for-profit educational foundation incorporated in 2006 to support lakes and waterway sites located throughout the U.S. and managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation operates in a cooperative relationship with USACE to foster contributions and partnerships that support environmental and recreation projects at Corps-operated lakes and waterways. We engage the support of members, contributors, businesses, community and “Friends” organizations to collaborate with USACE in providing vital services to the public. USACE is one of the nation’s leading providers of outdoor recreation with over 400 lake and river projects in 43 states and more than 250 million visits per year.

“Allatoona averages 6.7 million visitors every year and keeping everyone safe has always been a priority with our staff. We want to extend a big thank you to Newell Brands and the Corps Foundation because they have ensured that families visiting our lakes have free access to a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for a long time to come. Whether you're fishing, boating, kayaking, or simply enjoying the serenity of the water, we want to ensure you have access to essential safety equipment, via our life jacket loaner stations,” said Travis England, park ranger at Allatoona Lake.