The Canadian Red Cross is urging Canadians to get trained and be careful when enjoying water activities, especially since water levels are high.
"Unfortunately, an average of 400 Canadians drown each year. Our goal, and that of our partners in water safety, is to get that number down to zero," says Keely McBride, Water Safety Program Representative for the Red Cross in Saskatchewan.
"High water levels are particularly dangerous right now, so please use care and caution when you are near rivers, creeks and lakes with rising water levels," cautions McBride.
"Learning to swim is important, but it's swimming and safety together that saves lives," explains McBride. The Red Cross Swim program teaches both swimming and water safety skills, from preschool ages up to adult.
Who is at risk for drowning?
Boating is the most frequent activity leading to drowning in Canada.
Aquatic activities (e.g. swimming, wading, or playing near water such as swimming pools) are the second most frequent activities leading to drowning.
Each year, Canadian Red Cross trains more than one million Canadians to be safe around water. Red Cross has been a leader in water safety in Canada for more than 60 years; in that time, drowning rates in Canada have decreased by more than half. For more information, call your local Red Cross office or visit to www.redcross.ca.
