These “Scan If Found” stickers help people return lost or stolen gear to you, and they also help first responders save lives!
When a paddle, canoe, kayak, raft, or SUP is found adrift, first responders leap into action and begin searching for the owner. Sometimes, there’s a person in the water who receives the help they need, but the vast majority of the time, it’s a simple case of lost gear. Either way, first responder helicopters, airplanes, and boats head out to search. The Coast Guard, State, and Lifeguards are forced to launch search and rescue missions that don’t need to happen, and it hurts their ability to save lives at sea.
ACA has partnered with HOST Hawaii and the U.S. Coast Guard to create the “Scan If Found” sticker program. If a watercraft is found drifting, these stickers help first responders identify the owner of watercraft and verify that the owner is safe. The stickers also help people return lost gear to one another through an anonymous messaging system, which helps owners ID their equipment. No account is needed to use this program, just scan a sticker and you’re connected.
Learn more about the program and get your own sticker today!