FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-91/6

Title and Subtitle: Donning Times and Flotation Characteristics of Infant Life Preservers: Four Representative Types

Report Date: April 1991

Authors: Funkhouser, G.E. and Fairlie, G.W.

Abstract: Four currently available representative types of infant life preservers were tested to assess the donning times and flotation characteristics for infant subjects(6 months to 2 years old). Two of the four devices tested were fixed-foam recreational devices and two were inflatable, dual-chambered devices that met TSO C-13d requirements. The parent received video-taped donning instructions prior to the timed donning trials. Donning times were recorded from the time the unwrapped device was handed to the parent until the last connection or adjustment was made. The device that was most quickly donned was an inflatable type with a vest attached to the top of the upper chamber (median donning time was 28.8 seconds). This infant life preserver also exhibited good body support with the head well above the water. The two fixed-foam devices were designed to have approximately one-third of the buoyancy of the two inflatable types and relied on assistance from an adult to maintain the infant in a safe flotation attitude. It appears that the fixed-foam infant 5 life preservers would provide more thermal protection than the inflatable life preservers.

Key Words: Infant Life Preserver, Infant Flotation Devices, Donning Times, Flotation Characteristics

No. of Pages: 12