PFD Wear Overview

Findings from a report on lifejackets and personal flotation devices (PFDs) were presented to the membership and this led to a motion for consensus building that was unanimously approved by the CSBC membership on September 27, 2003.

Motion:
That the CSBC membership accept the Background Research Paper Regarding Mandatory PFD Wear Legislation in Canada that was written and presented by SMARTRISK and develop and implement an action plan based on the building of stakeholder consensus to advocate for the required wearing of PFDs/lifejackets by boaters while on the water.

The CSBC commissioned SMARTRISK, a national injury prevention organization, to develop a background research paper summarizing the best available evidence pertaining to mandatory lifejacket/PFD use. This background research paper was to be used to inform a position paper on the topic of mandatory PFD wear legislation. SMARTRISK was charged with providing their independent evaluation of existing knowledge and research compiled and collected in Canada, in the USA and in 12 other countries. You can download the 286-page research paper prepared by SMARTRISK, which is available in a PDF format, the summary version of the study in a PowerPoint presentation and the report from the PFD Taskforce of the CSBC, also in PowerPoint format.

The Cook-Rees Memorial Fund for Water Search and Safety generously provided funding for the study. Loreena McKennitt and the families and friends of Gregory Cook and Ronald and Richard Rees, following a boating tragedy in which the three men’s lives were lost while boating on Georgian Bay in 1998, established the fund.

The reaction to the report at the CSBC Symposium was extremely positive and it was judged to be the most exhaustive study on the topic in Canada, as well as internationally. The first step towards the goal to increase wearing of PFDs and lifejackets is to communicate the results of the report to stakeholder groups.

Download your individual commitment regarding PFD/Lifejacket Wear

Download your organizational commitment regarding PFD/Lifejacket Wear

The PFD Task Force "Tool Box" section contains files that are used in presentations relating to the background research paper "Will it Float" on mandatory PFD wear prepared by SmartRisk for the CSBC.

For those of you giving presentations on behalf of the PFD Task Force you will find these tools invaluable. For those of you who have attended a presentation or wish to have a presentation you will find all the background material and "tools" available.

If you wish a presentation for your group or organization or just want more information please contact the Chairof the PFD Task Force, Barbara Byers