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The
drowning deaths in these true stories could all have been prevented:
"A small boy was playing in the yard with other children in a private condominium
complex. His father instigated a search when the boy didn't respond to his name.
Upon noticing that one of the gates enclosing the swimming pool was open, the
father checked the pool and found the child face down in the water. Resuscitation
was not successful. The pool was properly fenced, but lacked self-locking gates
to prevent children from entering the pool area, unsupervised."
"Shortly after dark, a 27-year-old man and his friend decided to go joy riding
on their snowmobiles, on the lake near their cottage. While driving at high speeds
on the frozen water, the two drivers collided. The young man was thrown off his
snowmobile, broke through the ice and drowned. His companion was not submerged
in the water and suffered only minor injuries. Neither the deceased nor his companion
were wearing floater suits."
"An avid fisherman, 67, left home after lunch without telling his wife or friends. His small powerboat experienced mechanical failure.
His body was found face down in the water. No flotation device was worn, and the man was a non-swimmer."
Source: The Facts about Drowning in Canada, 2001 Edition (Canadian Red Cross & Fisheries and Oceans Canada Coast Guard, 2001).
Canadians don't always recognize the risks in and around water
Most Canadians have learned that to be a safe driver you wear a seatbelt and don't drink and drive. When it comes to water safety however,
it can be a different story.
Canadians don't always see themselves at risk for drowning. Boaters may drink and ride and often forget to wear-or bring-flotation
devices. People also swim or wade into rivers with a strong current, drink before swimming and diving, and install home swimming pools
without an automatic safety gate.
According to a report
released last year by the Canadian Red Cross, Canadians need to understand the risks involved when they are on or near water. The 10-year
study Drownings
and other water-related injuries in Canada analyses long-term trends in drownings and near drownings. Between 1991 and 2000, 5,900 people
died and 3,526 were hospitalized for near drowning, some with permanent brain damage. The majority of drowning victims were male. Most of
these deaths and near deaths were preventable.
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Future modules to focus on boating, fishing and Aboriginal peoples
The Canadian Red Cross released its first two modules on drowning prevention research in Canada: the detailed
Overview
module outlined above and an examination of drowning related to Ice
and Cold Water. Future modules will focus on powered boating, unpowered boating, fishing, and Aboriginal peoples.
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Water safety programs are working
The good news is that deaths overall from drowning—especially among children—have decreased across Canada due to better water safety
training and education programs for swimming and boating. Although these trends are very encouraging, there is more work to be done. The
Canadian Red Cross recommends key changes in legislation, enforcement and individual behaviour that could move Canada closer to having no
deaths from drowning.
The five changes that could make a difference
The Red Cross report recommends a combination of legislation, enforcement and training in five key areas that could save hundreds of lives
every year.
1. All boaters should wear an appropriate personal flotation device (PFD). |
Failure to wear a quality
PFD that fits properly is a major risk factor for boating. A change
in legislation, enforcement and training for all boaters—especially
adult males—would eliminate up to 90% of all boating drownings and up to
35% of all drownings in Canada. |
2. All home swimming pools should be required to install an automatic, self-closing and self-latching gate. |
This requirement for both in-ground and above ground home pools could eliminate nearly all pool drownings of toddlers, and
prevent about 10% of all drownings in Canada.
Laws governing swimming pool safety are, for the most part, under the jurisdiction of local municipalities. Many Canadian communities have
already passed bylaws that set the minimum height at 5 feet (1.52 metres), the maximum ground clearance at 3 inches (7.62 cm), and the
requirement of a self-closing, self-latching lock on the gate. Not all municipal legislation includes regulations for above ground swimming
pools. |
3. Everyone should avoid alcohol in, on or around the water, swimming, boating or snowmobiling. |
Alcohol and water don't mix. Legislation and enforcement, together with training and education to limit the use of alcohol in, on or around
the water could prevent about 30% of all drownings in Canada as well as other tragedies such as boating collisions.
Last year, the province of Ontario passed an impaired boating law to curb
drinking and boating. Under the legislation, Ontarians who operate a boat with a blood alcohol level of
0.05 to 0.08 will have their motor vehicle driver's licences immediately suspended for 12 hours. If their level is above 0.08, driver's
licences will be automatically suspended for 90 days. |
4. All snowmobilers should have special equipment to help them escape if they fall through the ice—even if this happens at night. |
Every snowmobiler who travels over water should wear a flotation-hypothermia suit with an attached ice-pick. New snowmobiles should be
equipped with flotation devices and ice picks that pop out into water and are visible in the dark. This could prevent about 4% of all
drownings. |
5. All water safety programs should include information on how to manage river current. |
All water safety programs should include information on how to manage river current.
By training people about current, how to move safely through a current and use the power of current for self-rescue, this could prevent about
30% of all drownings every year. |
The report says that by implementing these five changes through appropriate regulations, enforcement and education, Canada would be taking
a significant step to eliminating about 85% of drownings and other water-related deaths every year.
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This article was prepared by The Canadian Health Network and reviewed by SMARTRISK, the CHN 
