A different type of vest for the office: A life vest ; Annapolis insurance agency promotes boating safety [Capital (Annapolis, MD)]

It was a smart look - and safe.

Folks at the Jack Martin & Associates insurance agency in Annapolis donned life vests at work Friday all in the name of boating safety.

"We know first-hand how safety saves lives. In our industry, we see the best of it and the worst of it," said Kelly Sullivan, the boat and yacht manager at Jack Martin's Annapolis office.

Jack Martin, which is an Avon-Dixon agency, sells all types of insurance. But the Annapolis team focuses mainly on marine insurance.

How fitting they wore life vests, which have become more streamlined. Still, they can be pain to wear while typing emails and answering customers' phone calls.

"It's a little warm, but it's kind of fun," Sullivan said.

The agency has focused on boating safety this spring along with the Natural Resources Police, sponsoring boat safety checks and raising awareness among clients.

Much of the boating safety efforts at Jack Martin have been spurred by Robin Marshall, an employee at the Easton office who is a reserve officer with the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

Jack Martin and NRP are teaming up for three vessel safety check days.

The first one, held at an Easton boat ramp last weekend, attracted dozens of boaters.

On Sunday, they'll be at the Oak Creek Boat Ramp in Newcomb, which is near Easton in Talbot County. And on June 2, there will be a vessel safety check at the Matapeake Fishing Pier in Stevensville. Both events are from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

This weekend kicks off Boating Safety Week. In 2011, 24 people died in boating accidents in Maryland, surpassing the average of 13.

Nationally, about 75 percent of boating deaths are drownings. Police say many could have been prevented if boaters were wearing life vests.

In Maryland, children younger than 13 must wear a Coast Guard- approved life vest when they're on any recreational boat less than 21 feet long.

Children younger than four must wear life vests with features, such as a leg strap to help keep the vest in place, an inflatable collar to help with buoyancy and a handle to make it easier to reach the child.

Other local Boating Safety Week events include public events at the Bowie Baysox game on Thursday and at Annapolis City Dock on May 26.

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