At the mid-summer mark, the Lifesaving Society is reporting that none of the 12 victims of this summer’s boating fatalities were wearing a life jacket.
That continues a trend from 2010 when 22 of 23 boaters who drowned in Ontario from May 1 to Sept. 30 were found not wearing a life jacket.
In June, the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario released its review of all accidental drownings in Ontario from May 1 to Sept. 30, 2010. It recommended that wearing life jackets in small vessels become mandatory.
“The Lifesaving Society is a longtime supporter of the need for legislation requiring the wearing of life jackets in boats under six metres and we are concerned about this disturbing trend in 2011,” said Barbara Byers, Public Education Director and member of the Coroner’s drowning review committee.
Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death in Canada and the second leading cause of preventable death in children under age 10. Most of the fatalities of 2011 could have been prevented if Canadians were aware of the risks and adopted prevention strategies. The Lifesaving Society encourages all Canadians to be prepared for water activities by wearing a life jacket, keeping their children within arms’ reach, and learning to swim.
Interim data collected by the Lifesaving Society from media and internet reports of drownings indicate that 29 Ontarians drowned between May 1 and July 10 this year. While the totals are down from the same period in 2010 (38), the society confirms that the areas of concern remain consistent.
Men continue to lead with 25 drownings since May 1 – or 86% of all drownings. On a positive note, drownings amongst children under 5 are down (1 in 2011 as opposed to 4) and there have been fewer drownings in backyard pools (three in 2011 as opposed to nine).
That contrasts with the 260% year over year spike in drownings amongst children under 5 in 2010. Many of those children drowned in backyard pools. Young children are the most vulnerable risk group for drowning and their safety depends on the vigilant supervision of parents and caregivers.
National Drowning Prevention Week begins on July 16, the Lifesaving Society offers important water safety messages to remind Canadians that being safe in and around the water can be simple, fun and prevent a tragedy that may ruin more than your summer. The Society urges Canadians to:
– Buckle up the life jacket. Having a life jacket on board is a good start, but not good enough to prevent drowning;
– Leave alcohol on shore. Alcohol and water make a deadly cocktail. The society noted that alcohol contributed to 67% of adult drowning deaths in 2010;
– Keep children within arm’s reach and within sight at all times;
– Control and restrict children’s access to water. Most toddlers drown in backyard pools.
– Learn to Swim. The society believes every Canadian should be able to, at minimum, meet the Canadian Swim to Survive standard (roll into deep water, tread water for one minute, and swim 50 metres). This is the basic swimming skill necessary to survive a fall into deep water.
