Free life jackets to be distributed at these Fresno County parks

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Life jackets will be distributed at several locations within Fresno County on Saturday by officials and local volunteers, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday.

On Saturday, July 13, at 10 a.m., deputies say nearly 100 life jackets will be distributed free of charge at the following locations:

• Skaggs Bridge Park
• Lost Lake Park
• Avocado Lake
• Laton-Kingston Park.

These jackets will be distributed by members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, North Central Fire Protection District, and local volunteers. Deputies say the priority is to give these to visitors who do not already own a life jacket, and it will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.

This initiative comes after three young people drowned in June, with two in the San Joaquin River and one in Shaver Lake. Sheriff’s officials say all the victims shared something in common: they did not know how to swim and were not wearing life jackets or had it properly secured.

Deputies say they were able to acquire these life jackets in just the past two weeks thanks to the following businesses and people:

• Century 21 Select Real Estate Fresno/Madera Officer, that donated.
• Kyries Schaeffer, a Kingsburg resident and donation organizer.
• Valerie Dearcanangelis, a Fresno resident and donor.
• Walmart in Dinuba, that donated.
• Big 5 Sporting Goods at Shaw and Marks in Fresno, who helped maximize the $400 in donations the sheriff’s office received. They also say the store staff helped them to get as many jackets as that “money would buy.”

Sheriff’s officials say their goal with this event is to also get swimmers in the habit of wearing life jackets every time they get into a lake or river, just as the routine process drivers go through when putting on a seatbelt every time they drive.

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