Northern Health offers safety tips for Drowning Prevention week

July 18-26 is Water Safety Week in BC

The summer months bring North Coast residents closer to water based activities whether it is on the ocean or around the region on lakes and rivers, making for a timely moment to observer Drowning Prevention Week.

The week of awareness started on Saturday July 18th and continues on until the 26th, with Northern Health making note of some notes on water safety for our consideration.

Statistics show that the majority of drownings take place in natural bodies of water such as lakes and rivers, with the majority of incidents taking place on the weekends from May through to August, mostly related to recreational activities such as swimming, fishing or boating.

Across British Columbia, water related fatality rates are highest among men, who account for 8 out of 10 incidents and from young adults.

When it comes to preparation for water safety it's worth noting that 90 percent of boating drownings could have been prevented simply by wearing a life-jacket or personal flotation device.

Diana Lake is a popular summer
destination for North Coast residents & visitors

As part of the week dedicated to water safety across British Columbia, Northern Health is offering up a few suggestions for the proper approach to summer fun near the water.

The first is a reminder to boat or swim sober, ensure that everyone wears a life jacket or PFD and to be sure that all children under age 6 are wearing life jackets when in, on or around the water.

As well, its recommended that education is the best approach to safety on the water, with a reminder that swimming lessons, First Aid and CPR instruction is available in many communities of the Northwest.

You can learn more about water safety from this item from the Health Matters blog from Northern Health.

More items from Northern Health can be found on our archive page.