ODNR loaning life jackets at Mosquito, Punderson, and 30 other state parks

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has made new life jacket loaner stations available at Mosquito, Punderson, and 30 other Ohio state parks, aiming to support safety on the water. These stations offer life jackets of various sizes, from infants to adults, for park visitors.

ODNR Director Mary Mertz noted that wearing a life jacket can be a factor in water safety. The department purchased 1,890 life jackets to stock these stations. The stations are positioned near boating docks and beaches, providing equipment and sharing information about safe boating practices.

National data indicates that about 75 percent of boating deaths involve drowning, and in 87 percent of those cases, the individual was not wearing a life jacket. By providing boaters, paddlers, anglers, and beachgoers with access to this equipment, ODNR seeks to help lessen the chance of serious incidents on Ohio’s lakes and rivers.

Loaner stations are now available at parks including Findley, Geneva, Headlands Beach, Portage Lakes, Punderson, and Mosquito Lake in northeast Ohio, among others across the state. Visitors are encouraged to wear a jacket while on the water and return it afterward.