Week spotlights importance of water safety

Week aims to reduce drowning deaths This is Drowning Prevention Week, set aside to raise awareness and reduce drowning tragedies in Ontario.

As the dog days of summer push on, Lifesaving Society Ontario has designated this week National Drowning Prevention Week.

Each year in Canada, between 425 and 450 drownings occur, including about 164 in Ontario.

For every drowning death in Ontario, the Society said there are around four non-fatal incidents that are serious enough to require an emergency department visit and could result in debilitating impairments.

“When you think of lifejackets when you’re swimming in an open water setting, bring those life jackets to the beach with you, you never know when the waves are going to pick up,” said Stephanie Bakalar, of Lifesaving Society Ontario.

Bakalar said fatal drownings are more common in lakes and large bodies of water, while non-fatal drownings are more common in pools.

Youths up to the age of 19 are at the highest risk of drowning, and 97 per cent of children who drown under the age of five have supervision that is absent or distracted, the society said.

“Most drownings actually happen 15 metres from a point of safety, which isn’t very far,” Bakalar said.

“So it tells me we’re missing some key things. We’re missing lifejackets, we’re missing on learning how to swim and knowing what to do if someone gets into trouble.”

Bakalar added that alcohol should be kept away from boat riders and boat operators, as boating is the second-most common risk factor for drownings.