[Title: Louie's story – Wear a lifejacket]

[Vision: Man in his 20s talking to camera]

To have situations where you’re definitely grateful for having your safety gear on, is a more common experience than most people would expect.

Most people would think of cold water as four or five degrees.

But actually, anything below 15 degrees if you were to fall in to the water, your body can go in to what’s called ‘cold shock’ response.

And that’s a pretty serious situation.

When I’m teaching boating, there is a huge focus on safety.

I think it’s very important to know what kind of lifejacket you need for the kind of boating you’re doing.

And to know the history of that jacket and know that it’s in good repair as well.

Things are fine when they’re fine, but you don’t know when something’s going to go wrong.

And that’s when you need your safety equipment on already, because it’s going to be too late in that situation to put it on.

My advice to you is, to always wear your lifejacket.

Prepare to survive: Know the five.
Learn how at msv.vic.gov.au/prepare

Return to the ‘Wear a lifejacket’ page