East Pierce Fire and Rescue on Tuesday shared on its Facebook page photos of two new self-serve kiosks around Lake Tapps that were built by Eagle Scout Chris Marks and that will supply personal flotation devices on loan, for free.
While the department sells life jackets at a discounted price of $14 in sizes from infants to adults, it also offers a free life jacket loaner program at the headquarters station (18421 Veterans Memorial Drive East) and now, thanks to Marks, at these two kiosks located at Lake Tapps North Park and Allen Yorke Park.
The jackets can be borrowed for the day or weekend at no charge.
The ramping up of water safety awareness this spring is in line with the community Swim Safe education campaign to help ensure there are no more unnecessary deaths such as those that have occurred on the lake in past years.
The Swim Safe effort is a combined campaign of the city of Bonney Lake, Bonney Lake Police, Cascade Water Alliance, Dieringer and Sumner School Districts, East Pierce Fire and Rescue and Pierce County. Click here for a recap of a community meeting last week in which students at North Tapps Middle School shared their project to promote safety and awareness on the lake and in which Bonney Lake police officers demonstrated why having a properly fitted and functioning life jacket accessible while on the water is so important.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.