The Lifesaving Society is reminding everyone to ensure they know how to swim.
TILLSONBURG - It only takes only a second for the unthinkable to happen.
It's Drowning Prevention Week and the Lifesaving Society is warning locals that over the next four weeks is when the greatest number of drownings happen in Ontario.
Area Manager Janet McCurdy says their message is simple.
"Every child needs to be a swimmer or have swimming lessons. Swimming is a life skill that can take your life and we want every child a swimmer."
McCurdy says adults should also know how to swim and says local aquatic centres offer adult swimming lessons.
She says 66 percent of the 47 people who have drowned already this year in Ontario were either in boats or were close to water and fell in.
"Only ten percent of drownings are in pools, 48 percent are in lakes, 22 percent are in rivers so right there is almost 70 in open water."
Public Education Director Barbara Byers says the shock of falling into water when the water is cold can cause a person to gasp and inhale
water and unless they are a strong swimmer and able to survive that experience, drowning can occur very quickly.
"In Canada, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury death among children 1-4 years of age and the second leading cause of preventable death for children under ten so that's pretty serious right there, those two things" says McCurdy.
The Lifesaving Society reminds parents to put lifejackets on toddlers and never leave children alone near water. They says keep them in sight
and within arms’ reach.
The week runs until Sunday, July 27.
BBBS Oxford Approaching Fundraising Goal
Ottawa Funding New Facility for IMT Precision
Brant OPP Investigating Missing Person Case
Woodstonian Charged in Child Exploitation Case
Woodstock Home and Lifestyle Show Returns this Weekend
Nominations Open for Tillsonburg Citizen of the Year
PJHL Playoff Recap - March 17th
UPDATE: Video Footage Wanted for Death Investigation
MURC: Coming Soon to Ingersoll!
Candidate Information Session Coming Up
EZT Remembers Former Ward 3 Councillor
SWPH Issues Cold Weather Alert
UPDATE: Strong Winds Continue this Morning
Woodstock Resident Charged with Speeding
Interview with the Mayor - March 16th, 2026
Woodstock Driver Charged in Brant County
PJHL Playoff Recap - March 13th to March 15th
March Break Safety Tips from Oxford OPP
Oxford-Elgin Rainbow Research Project Underway
OPP: Plan Ahead Before St. Paddy's Day Festivities
Comments
Add a comment