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State puts life jacket borrowing program in place for water activity

It's called Wear It Georgia, and you will find it at area lakes and rivers

JULIETTE, Ga. — This summer, we've seen two drownings at Bibb County's Lake Tobesofkee.

Life jackets are key to saving lives, and now it's easy to suit up before you get on the water. 

 It is Georgia law that you have to have a life jacket on board for every person in your vessel. Kids under 13 must wear the jackets while you're out on the water.  

Walter Lambert initially came up a little short Friday on his trip to Lake Juliette.

"I usually come, me and my buddy, got some friends I brought, so we had to have another life jacket, so we got one," he explained.

Lambert and his friends found themselves in a pinch -- no life jacket equaled no trip, but they had a chance to work it out.

The simple material on the side of the water is called Splash Wear it Georgia.

Mark McKinnon with the Department of Natural Resources says it gives you the chance to snag a life jacket for free.

"They can pick one up, borrow it for the day, use it, and that way, they're safe," he said.

The Wear it Georgia is a simple gesture, but the DNR ranger has seen the worst of what can happen on the water.

"We've had over 50 drownings this year in Georgia, across the state, and that's only in natural bodies of water, "McKinnon calculated. "One of the worst things is when our game warden has to go to a family member and notify them that their loved one has lost their life due to a drowning and maybe it was because they didn't have a life jacket."

The state has a goal that you will see a life jacket board every time you pull up to a ramp in the Peach State.

"I'd like to get this to every boat ramp, every swimming area, and we even have a few that are located at public swimming pools," McKinnon projected.

They used corporate donations to buy the life jackets, and now, the rest is up to you.

"If you fall out of a boat and don't have nothing to float on, then you'll know why you gotta have one. That's what it's for -- something to grab onto," Lambert said.

RELATED: Man found dead after search for drowning victim at Lake Tobesofkee comes to an end

RELATED: Georgia DNR urges people to be safe at the lake over the Fourth of July weekend

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