Most drowning deaths are preventable, expert says
Posted Jun 20, 2011 10:20:09 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Summer doesn’t officially start until Tuesday, but the warm weather has already arrived and so have the tragedies on our waterways.
This past weekend, two Ontario residents, a 21-year-old and a 14-year-old drowned while swimming.
About 500 people drown in Canada every year. Most victims are toddlers or men between the ages of 18 to 49.
Barbara Byers, a spokesperson with the Lifesaving Society, told 1310News a drowning can happen in as little as 20 seconds.
“Flailing arms and shouting ‘help’ from drowning is Hollywood because when a person gets into a life-threatening situation and is struggling, they take a gasp and often they take a mouthful of water, so they are unable to talk,” she said.
But, according to Byers, most drownings are preventable. To help reduce the number of drownings, she said parents should keep their toddler at arm’s reach and in-sight, put a life jacket on and that everyone should learn to swim.
