Always. Boating safety advocates recommend that all boaters and passengers not only have a life jacket, but wear it at all times while boating. Accidents on the water can happen much too fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket. As noted in the 2021 Boating Statistics Report, 81 percent of boating deaths were due to drowning, with 83 percent not wearing a life jacket and two out of three victims categorized as good swimmers. You can read the full report at https://safeboatingcampaign.com/get-the-facts/.
If you were affected by the January 2024 severe storms, you can apply for federal disaster assistance.