Loaner Life Jacket Stand Stations

All too often agency partners and Flathead Rivers Alliance have seen river users putting on the river without life jackets. It has been identified that select river access sites on the Three Forks of the Flathead River would benefit from installation of permanent loaner life jacket stand stations. Stands will be constructed like existing Montana FWP loaner life jacket stands in schematics and materials. Flathead Rivers Alliance will work with MT FWP and other agency partners to develop river specific safety messaging that will be attached to stand.

In 2021, a partnership was entered between MT FWP and Flathead Rivers Alliances to boost river safety. MT FWP supplies life jackets for Flathead Rivers Alliance’s River Ambassador Program. River Ambassadors then offer loaner life jackets at popular river access sites during their shifts. The move to permanent loaner life jacket stations at select river access points not only allows additional river safety messaging, but also accessibility of life jackets beyond volunteer shifts.

Permanent Loaner Life Jacket Station Locations
Life jackets available Memorial Day - Labor Day

  • West Glacier River Access Boating Site (Middle Fork of the Flathead River)

  • Glacier Rim River Access Boating Site (North Fork of the Flathead River)

Roving Loaner Life Jacket Stations

  • Loaner life jackets will be available during River Ambassador volunteer pop-up information booth shifts at popular river access sites on Middle and North Forks throughout the summer.

Loaner Life Jacket Drop Return Locations

Montana Boating Rules & Regulations HERE

Volunteers install permanent life jacket station at West Glacier River Access.

Flathead Rivers Alliance & MT Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Armed Forces Initiative volunteers install 1st permanent life jacket station on the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River.

Volunteers Pictured (left to right): DJ Zor, Stuart Keil, Ginger Gross, & Warren Lane
Not Pictured: Sheena Pate (Flathead Rivers Alliance staff)

This project is made possible thanks to grant funding from Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety Program and in-kind donations and services from MT FWP, Flathead National Forest, and Flathead Rivers Alliance and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Armed Forces Initiative volunteers. Huge thanks to volunteer Mark Beckwith for building the loaner life jacket station structures.