Toronto police applauded for quick rescue, but Life Saving Society says drowning deaths on the rise

Since January, 47 people have drowned in Ontario. That sobering statistic comes from the Life Saving Society, a not-for-profit organization aimed at preventing drowning deaths and injuries.

“Almost all drownings are preventable, like almost all of them, so it’s sad,” explains Barbara Byers, the organization’s public education director.

“You don’t always know what the mitigating factors are, but usually, from looking from stats for 30 years, the people who drown are usually weak swimmers.”

Monday is the kick-off to Drowning Prevention Week, held annually at this time of the year. It’s an opportunity for public education and awareness.

In July alone there have been 21 drownings — nearly one a day, Byers says. And the majority of the deaths can be attributed to backyard pool use, a shift that is being attributed to a long, cold winter, late spring and the fact it’s taking longer for lakes and river for warm up.

“We have National Drowning prevention week this week, the third week in July, because we know it’s the time of the year where most drownings occur,” Byers added.

On Friday, Toronto police were called to a motel in Scarborough following reports that two men had drowned in the pool. When officers arrived, police said, they pulled the men from the pool and resuscitated them before they were sent to hospital with critical injuries.

“Nobody had to say too much, we just looked at each other and at one point it was said, all right, we’re going in,” explains Const. Randall Arsenault. He and his partner, Maureen Conley, pulled the men from the water.

“To find out there was an actual pulse, so CPR works for God’s sakes,” Arsenault said, adding “that was a heck of a feeling.”

Arsenault said he hasn’t been updated on the condition of the two men.

Last year there were 53 drownings in the province and we’re on track to meet and possibly exceed that number with more than a month of summer left, which brings the importance of water safety to the forefront.