The Lifesaving Society is warning Manitobans about the dangers of man-made ponds after a Winnipeg man drowned in one on Monday.
The incident happened at King’s Park.
A man jumped into the water to help a struggling family dog and wasn’t able to stay afloat himself. Two others pulled him out of the water and administered CPR, but the 58-year-old later died in hospital.
READ MORE: Man drowns in Winnipeg’s King’s Park pond trying to save family dog
On Wednesday, the Lifesaving Society spoke with Global News about the dangers of neighbourhood retention ponds.
“These pose great risks for kids,” Operations Manager Kevin Tordiffe said. “If you have one near your home, you should make sure you’re aware of it and you know where your kids are in relationship to this kind of environment at all times.
“Kids should never be around [the ponds] by themselves.”
Tordiffe said no one should go in that water because it’s not designed or maintained for people to swim in.
The pond at King’s Park was called dangerous by Winnipeg Police.
They said on Tuesday that the man could have become tangled within the water’s reeds or had his feet stuck in soft mud at the bottom of the pond, which they compared to quicksand.
READ MORE: Manitoba top spot for young children drowning deaths once again
The Lifesaving Society said that if you do fall in water that’s muddy with weeds, experts advise to try to calm down and to attempt to float on your back while lightly kicking your legs.
“The majority of people who drown in Manitoba never had any intention of going into the water,” Tordiffe said.
“Drowning isn’t just a risk associated with swimming or boating activities, it’s a risk that occurs any time we are outdoors.”
City of Winnipeg officials tell Global News the pond is not meant for swimming and is marked with two signs warning against doing so.
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