Drowning Prevention Week set at Council

Yorkton Council unanimously supported proclaiming July 15-21 as National Drowning Prevention Week in the city.

The Saskatchewan branch of the Lifesaving Society made the request to mark the week.

The Lifesaving Society is a national, charitable, and not-for-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of drowning and other water-related injuries in Canada.

“Tragically, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury deaths among children 1 – 4, and the second leading cause of preventable death for children under 10 years. With some 500 fatalities annually, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death among Canadians under 60 years of age. In Saskatchewan, an average of 18 fatal drownings occur each year plus water-related injuries such as brain injury and spinal injury,” said Graham Erickson, Water Park Manager in the city, reading the Lifesaving Society letter of request.

National Drowning Prevention Week is one of the Society’s leading public education mediums for the prevention of drowning and other water-related injuries.

The proclamation states “the mission of the Lifesaving Society Canada is to prevent drowning throughout this great country, and even one drowning in Saskatchewan is one too many,” said Erickson.

It noted, “Whereas most drownings are preventable in a Water Smart community, and only through Water Smart education and a healthy respect for the potential danger that any body of water may present can we truly enjoy the beauty and recreation opportunities offered by these bodies of water.”

Erickson noted, “The Lifesaving Society urges Canadians and residents to supervise children who are in and around the water, to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages while participating in aquatic activities, and to wear a Personal Flotation Device or lifejacket at all times when boating.”