As the weather heats up it means one thing, making the most out of every sunny day. While many of us enjoy a good swim, it is an activity that requires safety considerations.
Nearly 20% of Canadian drownings happen in July, usually during recreational activities like swimming and boating.
When you do head down to the water, remember your life jacket, it was found that in 84 percent of boating deaths, a personal floatation device not being used was a contributing factor.
Please remember, if you’ve enjoyed a drink, avoid the water–nearly 30 percent of teenage and adult water-related fatalities involve alcohol.
Lastly, keep an eye on your little ones, a child can drown in as little as an inch of water and two-thirds of drowning deaths among children under 5 happen when supervision is absent. The Red Cross suggests that pools should be fenced in on all sides and have a self-closing gate to deter curious children from approaching the water. The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends swimming lessons for all children over 4. Nevertheless, confident swimming can’t replace adult supervision.