The Lifesaving Society of Ontario has designated July 21st through 27th as National Drowning Prevention Week, which aims to focus community and media attention on water safety and drowning prevention efforts.
Each year in Ontario there is an average of 164 drowning deaths, 100 hospitalizations due to non-fatal drowning and 568 emergency department visits due to non-fatal drowning.
As we look to help bring those numbers down to zero, we sat down with MaryKate Townsend who is a Steering Committee Member on the Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition and Co-Chair of the National Committee for Community Coalition Development to share some water safety tips.
This includes swimming with a buddy and wearing a lifejacket if you don’t know how to swim or aren’t a strong enough swimmer for the environment you’re in.
Townsend says that one of the most vital tips to remember is to simply pay attention while around water- especially if you’re responsible for others.
Adding that staying sober while out on the water is a must!
While we may have statistics that give us a better understanding of the trends each year, Townsend stresses that drowning doesn’t discriminate.
As we get set for the second half of the summer, Townsend notes that it’s never to late to be educated. It could be as simple as learning what the flags means at local beaches.
Those wishing to learn more about water safety are encouraged to visit the Lifesaving Society of Ontario Facebook Page and take part in the National Drowning Prevention Week activities.
(Written by: Kennedy Freeman)
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