National Drowning Prevention Week
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National Drowning Prevention Week is the Lifesaving Society’s annual drowning prevention awareness event. With over 400 Canadians drowning in preventable water-related incidents annually, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death among Canadians under 60+ years of age. Even one drowning is one too many.
Reminders:
- Stay within arm’s reach! Adults should always be within arm’s reach of young children when in or near the water. The majority of drownings in children under 5 years of age is due to a lack of supervision. Lifejackets and other flotation devices are a layer of protection, but do not replace adult supervision.
- Swim skills need to be taught; they are not innate. Most drowning occur close to safety – can you survive an accidental or unintentional fall into the water? Basic swimming ability is a requirement of any meaningful attempt to eliminate drowning in Canada. Swim to Survive® defines the minimum swim skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water Make sure all family members can learn the 3 skills: roll into deep water, tread water for 1 minute, and swim 50 meters.
- Lifejackets do not work if you do not wear them. Not wearing a Lifejacket was a factor in most boating deaths. Lifejackets are like seatbelts. They help you if the unexpected happens. Lifejackets are for every age and ability. Even strong swimmers need to wear lifejackets.
- On average, 70% of all fatal drownings in Canada occur in open water such as lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Swimming in open water is different from swimming in a pool. Know your limits and check local conditions before going in. Many fatal drownings occur when people are swimming alone. Always swim with a buddy!