UNITY — The Lifesaving Society designates the third week in July every summer as National Drowning Prevention Week to focus community and media attention on drowning prevention. This year the educational campaign falls on July 16-22.
The website states, “In Saskatchewan, between June 1-July 16, 2022, The Saskatchewan RCMP responded to eight reports of drowning. The same period in 2021 had four reports of drowning while that same period in 2021, recorded six reports of drowning.”
“Each year, we like to take the opportunity to remind everyone about water safety during drowning prevention week,” head lifeguard at Unity Credit Union Aquatic Centre, Lauren Gartner says.
“While we do spend lots of time having fun activities for the kids, there is so much water safety that is important to learn as well.”
Gartner said recognition of Drowning Prevention Week has happened as long as she can remember, and she has been part of Unity’s pool activities since she began work there in 2016. Gartner also remembers participating when she was a kid growing up in Unity.
Unity Credit Union Aquatic Centre held activities over the week during evening public swim time. Swimmers had the opportunity to participate in games to win prizes. Lifeguards also enact mock rescues throughout the week with the goal of showing swimmers what lifeguards do when someone needs help.
Fun activities also included a colouring contest, jellybean guess game and the annual barbecue held midway through the awareness week.
“Swimmers always react positively to the activities that we run. The kids love the games that we set up, the barbecue is always a hit and the mock rescues always seem to have an impact on swimmers,” said Gartner.
The lifeguard team also post water safety tips and facts on their social media page and on the wall of the pool throughout the week
“I think that the biggest takeaway from participating in drowning prevention week is how important it is that swimmers have knowledge on how to stay safe in the water,” Gartner adds.
“While it is important to have fun while swimming, we need to make sure that we are having fun safely, and this week does a great job of promoting that for swimmers.
Statistics on the website says more than 400 Canadians die in preventable water-related incidents annually.
The main themes to be emphasized during this public education week include:
Supervise children, if you are not within arm’s reach, you are too far. Keep phone distractions away while watching kids at a pool or lake.
Boating safety. Always wear a lifejacket and stay sober when in, on or around the water. Alcohol consumption is a factor in many waters related fatalities.
Learn to swim. In most drownings, the victim never intended to go in the water and was often close to safety. Could you survive a sudden or unexpected fall into the water?
Learn lifesaving skills as you could help save a life. Drowning knows no age, skill, language or culture. Swim with care and stay prepared. Caution in or near the water is never overrated.
Watch your community pool’s social media pages for updates on their activity July 16-22 for National Drowning Prevention Week.
