With the summer heat, many are cooling off in the water, but local organizations are asking people to stay alert.
The third week of July marks the beginning of National Drowning Safety Week, a campaign spearheaded by the Lifesaving Society that aims to highlight the importance of water safety and drowning prevention.
“Non-fatal drowning incidents can have very serious lifelong debilitating consequences, and we do want parents to be very careful with their children,” Stephanie Bakalar, a spokesperson with the organization, said.
The City of Hamilton is participating in the campaign too by hosting different events at recreation centres across the region that aim to teach residents how to size lifejackets and practice “swim-to-survive” techniques that could help save a life.
Each year in Ontario, there is an average of 164 deaths and 100 hospitalizations that are non-fatal, according to Hamilton police.
“We’re surrounded by water, and we have it in all shapes and forms,” police spokesperson Krista-Lee Ernst says.
“Make sure [you] educate yourself, as well as your loved ones to help combat and prevent drowning within our community.”
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