Lifesaving importance of lifejackets stressed in the Okanagan this week

Watch above: Summerland kids get an education on boating safety that many adults could learn from

SUMMERLAND – In the heat of summer many seek out the relative cool of local waterways, but a day in the sun can easily turn tragic. This week educators from the, not-for-profit, Lifesaving Society are in the Okanagan trying spread the word about drowning prevention and boating safety.

“We have drowning incidents happening all the time and it is really important that we reinforce these messages,” says educator Sienna Joyce.

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Their two biggest messages: always wear a lifejacket while boating and don’t drink and boat.

While many of the kids at today’s presentation seem to have already taken that message to heart, many adults haven’t. Last Sunday four people in their thirties and forties had to be rescued from Okanagan Lake after their boat sank. The RCMP say none of them were wearing lifejackets.