‘Water is unpredictable’: Lifesaving Society stresses long weekend water safety

Lakes, rivers and pools are popular choices to beat the summer heat, but the Lifesaving Society say there is an increase in drownings every long weekend and is urging Canadians heading out on the water to be cautious.

Data from the 2020 National Drowning Report by Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada shows there are between 400 and 500 water-related fatalities each year in the country. Sixty-six per cent occur between May and September.

“It doesn’t matter how good of a swimmer you are, how much training you have or what your skill level is,” says Stephanie Bakalar, corporate communications manager for Lifesaving Society Ontario. “The fact is water is unpredictable and anything can happen to anyone.”

2:07 Lack of supervision the leading cause of drownings: Lifesaving Society

The report shows the main cause of drowning is not wearing a life jacket or personal floatation device (PFD), but an increasing trend is a lack of supervision. 92 per cent of children under the age of five who drowned had absent or distracted supervision.

“A big message right now that we need parents to hear is that you cannot take your eyes of your kids even for a split-second,” said Bakalar. “We need you to assign someone else to watch your kids if you have to look away.”

Doctors say drowning can occur within 20 seconds and in as little as one inch of water for babies and young children. Most drownings happen in natural bodies of water, but for young children they increase in swimming pools where parents are not as concerned about the unpredictability of the water.

“A lot of people expect to hear a lot of splashing, screaming for help,” Bakalar said. “That really isn’t the way it happens, so we need people to be aware that when someone is swimming you really have to have your eyes on them.”

Layers of protection

The Lifesaving Society says the key to water safety and drowning prevention is layers of protection.

“While your kids are swimming put a life jacket on them, you’re also watching them, you have other adults around, you have a cell phone handy in case there’s an emergency,” said Bakalar.

Over the past 20 years in Alberta, fatal drownings have increased 1.1 per cent, but for every fatality, there are six non-fatal drownings that result in an emergency department visit or hospitalization.

1:32 14-year-old in critical condition after near drowning at White Pine Beach

Non-fatal drownings can result in breathing or lung issues and life-long impairments. 45 per cent of all non-fatal drowning hospital admissions in the province are for children under 10.

Bentley Langlands takes her children to pools and lakes regularly in the summer, saying water is a great way to cool down and kill time, but understands there are risks associated with a day at the beach.

“I set rules with my kids which for the most part they do listen,” laughed Langlands. “Like my daughter is only allowed to up (up to her knees) unless she has her water wings on and stuff like that.”

She also relies on her old son, Dimitri, to watch his siblings.

“I make sure they wear life jackets and I have an eye on them,” said Dimitri. “First rule, don’t dive straight away near the water. Second rule, don’t wander off without your parents. Third rule, don’t leave without asking.”