Canada’s
Drowning
Prevention
Charity
Canada’s
Drowning
Prevention
Charity
Canada’s
Drowning
Prevention
Charity
Canada’s
Drowning
Prevention
Charity
The Lifesaving Society's ongoing public education campaign aims to make Canadians "Water Smart." The WaterSmart Campaign encourages Canadians to exercise safe and responsible behaviour in and around water to prevent water-related injuries. We deliver Water Smart public information through the media, community action, special events, safety courses and training opportunities. If you are looking to learn about being safe around the water, boat safety, camp safety, coastal safety, swimming pool safety and ice safety you have come to the right place.
Drowning is a silent killer and can happen in as little as 10 seconds. Layers of protection will reduce the chance of human error.
Parents and caregivers must be near (within arms' reach) their children whenever they are near water - in the backyard, at the beach, and in the bathroom. Stay tub-side until the water is drained and children are out of the tub. Most bathtub drownings occur because children are left alone "just for a moment."
Many toddlers who drown do so because they unexpectedly gained access to the water - the backyard pool, the lake or the bathtub. Typically, human error leads to a gate or door being left open or a lock unsecured. If you can't eliminate the water hazard, restrict access to it by fencing off natural or man-made bodies of water on your property and ensure that gates are self-closing and self-latching. Drain bathtubs when not in use, and empty unattended wading pools and buckets of water and turn them over.
An adult must always supervise children using a pool - in-ground, above-ground or wading pool. If one adult must be absent for a moment, designate a replacement or close the pool until someone can assume supervisory duties.
As an extra layer of protection, put yourself and your family in a lifejacket when they are near water. Lifejackets do not replace attentive supervision of children and safe behaviour around the water, but will keep you at the surface giving vital seconds needed to save your life. If you don’t own a lifejacket, consider visiting pools and waterfronts that offer lifejacket stations and Public Access Liferings.
For safer play near the water, take your family and friends to beaches and pools supervised by certified lifeguards. Lifeguards do not replace direct parental supervision but act as an extra layer of protection.
A positive introduction to water can give your child a lifetime of pleasure swimming and can prevent drowning and water-related injury at every stage of life. Toddlers are particularly suited to get used to the water with their parents in an instructional setting. The Family Swim to Survive program is a great way to learn survival swimming together as a family regardless of age or ability.
The Lifesaving Society designates the third full week in July as National Drowning Prevention Week (NDPW) to focus community and media attention on the drowning problem and drowning prevention. In Canada, drowning is the No. 1 cause of unintentional injury deaths among children 1-4 years of age, and the second leading cause of preventable death for children under 10 years.
With some 500 fatalities annually, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death among Canadians under 60 years of age (surpassed only by motor vehicle collisions and poisoning).
NDPW provides a focus around which the public and community educators can promote drowning prevention messages based on drowning statistics and research findings, deliver community education host events such as Swim to Survive Day.
112-3989 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC
V5C 6N5
T: 604.299.5450
General inquiries: info@lifesaving.bc.ca
Awards inquiries: awards@lifesaving.bc.ca
112-3989 Henning Drive
Burnaby, British Columbia V5C 6N5
Branch Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30
T: 604.299.5450
General inquiries: info@lifesaving.bc.ca
Awards inquiries: awards@lifesaving.bc.ca
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