Swim safety encouraged as National Drowning Prevention Week begins

The Lifesaving Society has designated the third week of July as National Drowning Prevention Week.

“Each year in Canada, we see about 425 to 450 drownings; in Ontario, we’re averaging about 164,” said Stephanie Bakalar, corporate communications manager for the Lifesaving Society in Ontario.

According to the Lifesaving Society, for every drowning death in Ontario, four non-fatal drowning incidents are severe enough to require an emergency department visit and could result in debilitating impairments.

“All of these drownings are preventable, and that’s what we want people to understand,” stated Bakalar.

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

Jeremy Champ is a lifeguard at the YMCA pool in Innisfil who has dealt with several drowning incidents.

“You have to catch it before anything happens,” said Champ. “Just make sure youth are attended to by a parent and have the proper flotation.”

Youth aged 0-to-19 are at the highest risk of drowning, and 97 percent of children who drown under the age of five have either absent or distracted supervision, according to the Lifesaving Society.

“What the lifeguards really need is the parents to be their child’s first lifeguard, actively supervise your children and be part of water safety,” urged Bakalar.

Bakalar recommends that alcohol be kept away from boat riders in addition to boat operators, as boating is the second-most common risk factor for drownings and that proper life jackets should replace inflatable ‘floaties’ that are unsuitable for deep and open bodies of water.

“The number of drowning deaths that happen without lifejackets on is staggering, and it’s actually in the high 80 percent,” stated Bakalar. “So we do really want you to be putting those lifejackets on,”

The Lifesaving Society says swimmers who find themselves in a potential drowning situation are urged not to panic and to try floating on their backs so that they can keep their airways open and call for assistance.