Coast Guard: Waders will not save your life. Life jackets will.

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic Contact: 5th District Public Affairs Office: (757) 398-6272 After Hours: (757) 295-8435 5th District online newsroom

Coast Guard: Waders will not save your life. Life jackets will.
VIDEO: Public Service Announcement available

Editors' Note: The image above is a screen shot of a one-minute Public Service Announcement demonstrating the benefit of wearing a life jacket while wearing waders. Click the image to download a high-resolution version of the PSA.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — As temperatures continue to fall across the Mid-Atlantic, the Coast Guard would like to remind you that waders are not a substitute for life jackets. 

Waders are great at keeping you warm and dry, but if you fall into the water they can act as an anchor, making a precarious situation much more dangerous if not paired with a life jacket. 

Coast Guard-approved life jackets can be worn over waders and will allow you valuable time to get to safety if you happen to end up in the water. In 2020, 75% of victims from boating accidents drowned as a result. Of that 75%, 86% were not wearing life jackets.

“Whether you’re fishing or hunting, on land or by boat, the most important thing you can bring with you is a life jacket,” said Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Blue, Coast Guard Fifth District Public Affairs Officer. “We see it time and time again. A good day out on the water can turn bad very quickly. Having a life jacket on makes our job easier and increases your chance of getting back home to your loved ones.”

-USCG-