OPP sound the alarm following 10 drownings so far this season
'That’s more than double the number of drowning deaths at this time last year'
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Ontario Provincial Police are making their point about wearing lifejackets while out on the water very clear: “Lifejackets can save lives, but only if you wear them.”
The warning comes after two more people drowned in Ontario, bringing the total number of deaths so far this year to 10, a disturbing trend, according to a news release sent out by the OPP.
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“That’s more than double the number of drowning deaths at this time last year,” the release said.
The latest drownings occurred in East Lake in Prince Edward County over the weekend.
According to police, in each incident in the region this summer, the victim has not been wearing a lifejacket.
“This is about education and changing the mindset to ensure everyone wears the proper gear, whether in a power boat or in a canoe. This is about coming home safely and ensuring that everyone, adults and children, are safe on or near the water,” said Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, the OPP East Region commander.
They encourage people who venture out on or near the water to wear a lifejacket.
Kingston Fire & Rescue is also echoing the same message regarding lifesaving devices. They have a marine unit parked at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour that is used to respond to accidents within the Kingston area on Lake Ontario. They have also purchased a smaller aluminum vessel that will have the ability to be trailered to smaller bodies of water.
According to Deputy Fire Chief Don Carter, a majority of incidents that they respond to involve people not wearing a lifesaving device.
“So even if you fall overboard, whether you fall into the water, hit your head and you’re knocked unconscious, if you’re wearing a PFD, it’s still going to right you and you’re hopefully not going to drown before somebody could come to your aid. So the big thing is for people to wear their PFD’s,” said Carter.
He added that swimmers should also be vigilant when out on open water and not to overestimate your abilities.
“I know plenty of times people have said, sure I can swim to that rock. Well that rock may be a kilometer out and they underestimate distance and get into trouble that way.
Ontario Parks is also reminding visitors to put safety first. According to its website, boaters and paddlers should wear a lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD), even if you’re a confident swimmer.
Since there are no lifeguards on their beaches, they do make PFDs available to borrow free of charge. This service is available to visitors at 70 of its participating parks.
Ontario Parks also reminds people never to leave children unattended, especially in the water, regardless of how shallow it may be.
According to the Canadian Red Cross, “the absence of adult supervision is a factor in most child drownings,” regardless of whether a child can swim or not.
Ontario Parks added that while water wings and inflatable tubes are great, they are not a substitute for a PFD/lifejacket and full-time adult supervision.
Wearing a lifejacket has multiple benefits if you find yourself in a water-related situation. It can pop you back up to the surface, give you time to adjust to the situation, catch your breath, and call for help.
On what is currently the Lifesaving Society’s national Drowning Prevention Week (July 20-26), the organization noted in a news release that drowning claims the lives of hundreds of Canadians each year. “Over 400 Canadians die in preventable water-related incidents annually. Even one drowning is too many,” the release said.
This year’s campaign is urging people to be “safer together.”
“This year’s National Drowning Prevention Week is all about the easy ways that anyone can have a safer experience in or around the water. Safer together means you swim with someone instead of alone, and you wear a lifejacket instead of keeping it next to you in the boat. It’s simple steps like these that make sure your day on the water ends happily,” said Lifesaving Society Ontario’s Stephanie Bakalar.
According to Lifesaving Society Ontario:
- In Ontario, 100% of drownings among children under the age of five occurred when supervision was absent or distracted.
- Swimming alone accounted for 71% of drowning deaths in adults aged 65 and older, and 57% in adults aged 35 to 64.
- Only 1% of drownings occur in lifeguard-supervised settings.
- In boating-related fatalities, 89% of victims were not wearing a lifejacket.
Some tips include:
- Actively supervise children anytime they are in or near the water.
- Always swim with a buddy.
- The safest place to swim is where the lifeguards are.
- Lifejackets can save your life.
- Learn to swim.
- Become a lifesaver. Take a Bronze Medallion course to learn how to save yourself and others. Or try Swim to Survive+ to learn basic self-rescue swimming skills and simple, low-risk techniques to help others.
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