"400+ Drowning Deaths a Year still too many" reports Lifesaving Society on launch of National Drowning Prevention Week

With more than 400 fatalities annually, drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional death among Canadians under 60 years of age reports the Lifesaving Society, Canada’s lifeguarding experts. In fact, more than 60% of all drowning deaths in Canada occur during participation in summer-time recreational activities including swimming and fishing or boating, with approximately two-thirds of drownings occurring just 15 meters from safety.

“It is a tragic statistic,” states Nicole Liddell, the Lifesaving Society’s National President-Elect, “but every year, hundreds of Canadians die as the result of drowning; and the truth is, many of these tragedies might have been prevented if people took the time to wear a personal flotation device and learned a few basic skills.”

This past May, a 29 year old woman was camping with a friend on Black Island (situated in the middle of McGregor Lake) in Val-des-Monts. The two campers were canoeing towards the island at night when their canoe capsized. Both ended up in the water and only the man was able to swim to shore and call for help. The body of the woman has yet to be located. According to authorities neither boater was wearing lifejackets at the time of the incident.

“Swimming is the second most popular year-round recreational activity, and with the sheer number of recreational water ways, beaches and pools available to us, Canadians inherently face an increased risk of drowning,” adds Liddell.

The Lifesaving Society’s National Drowning Prevention Week is timed to coincide with the warmest summer weather when many Canadian’s are seeking ways to cool off and beat summer’s heat (July 19 – 27, 2008).

For additional information on the Lifesaving Society and/or National Drowning Prevention Week (July 19 – 27, 2008) please visit the Society’s web site at: www.lifesaving.ca

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