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Marking Drowning Prevention Week

Thursday, 20 July 2017 07:12

People of all ages are encouraged to reexamine their habits during Drowning Prevention Week.

WOODSTOCK - It's National Drowning Prevention Week and the public is being reminded to be cautious when swimming this summer.

Everyone, no matter what age, is encouraged to always wear a life jacket or a Personal Floatation Device when out swimming this summer. In Ontario the greatest drowning group is the baby boomers. The largest group in Canada is men between 20 - 34. Research shows alcohol was a factor in 40% of incidents involving men in that age group.

Rebecca Boyd, a volunteer with the Lifesaving Society as the First Aid Services Chair, tells Heart FM being aware of your surroundings is essential.

"The number one thing to keep in mind when in open water in particular is to keep an eye on everyone around you. We talk about being within arms reach which is an important aspect when you're dealing with non-swimmers and children under the age of 5 in particular."

She also explained what to look for when swimming in open water.

"You could look for wave action - if the waves seem a bit strong to you, you probably should not go in if you are hesitating at all. You could look and see how the flow of the water is - and really it isn't an undertow, it's the water going back out into the open water and it will pull you with it, not under."

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