(Ottawa, ON – July 25, 2003)

This week is National Drowning Prevention Week in Canada. According to the Lifesaving Society, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death for Canadians under the age of 60. And the majority of deaths caused by drowning are preventable. The Lifesaving Society urges all Canadians to please remember the following precautions while out enjoying water activities this summer: always wear a lifejacket while in or near water, keep a close eye on children near and in water, do not consume alcohol while boating and learn rescue skills. Together we can prevent water-related fatalities. For more information, contact experts@lifesaving.ca or go to www.lifesaving.ca.

National Drowning Prevention Day

Think Ahead, Be Water Smart^®

Saturday, July 26 marks National Drowning Prevention Day. Unfortunately, drowning is still the third leading cause of unintentional death for Canadians under 60 years of age. Only exceeded by motor vehicle collisions and poisonings, drowning claims hundreds of victims annually. This high number of water-related fatalities highlights the need for Canadians to take the necessary precautions when taking part in water activities, to ensure their safety as well as the safety of others.

According to Rick Haga, Executive Director of the Lifesaving Society, “83% of drowning fatalities are males, making men four times more likely than women to die in this manner. Alcohol was a contributing factor in an average of 42% of the deaths, although we are pleased to note that this number reduced to 36% in 1998.”

The Lifesaving Society, the organization that certifies Canada’s lifeguards, encourages all Canadians to practise the following to prevent possible drownings:

• Always wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD) while near water.



• Do not consume alcohol when boating.



• Get trained in boating safety.



• Closely supervise young children.



• Learn rescue skills.

• Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional death for Canadians under 60 years of age.



• 83% of drowning victims are men.



• 55% of all victims are between the ages of 18 and 49.



• At the time of drowning, 62% of victims were engaged in recreational activities.



• Of these activities, the most common were swimming (22%), fishing (20%) and powerboating (19%).



• Over half of all drownings in Canada occur during the summer period (May to August).



• Alcohol is involved in 38% of boating fatalities.

(Source: National Drowning Trends Report 1991-2000)

Background Information

The Lifesaving Society works to prevent drowning and water-related injuries through its training programs, drowning research, Water Smart^® public education and aquatic safety management services.

The Society is a volunteer-based, national nonprofit organization, composed of tens of thousands of individual members and over 2,000 affiliated aquatic facilities, municipalities, waterfronts and schools. Established in England in 1891 as The Swimmers' Life Saving Society, we became the Royal Life Saving Society in 1904. Today, we are the Lifesaving Society.

Teaching Canadians to Save Themselves and Others

The Society certifies close to 200,000 Canadians annually in lifesaving, lifeguarding and leadership training. The Junior Lifeguard Club, the Canadian Swim Patrol Program and the family of Bronze awards offer young people a challenging progression in lifesaving training.

Our National Lifeguard Service^® (NLS) certification is the only standard for professional lifeguards in Canada. Through our leadership training, candidates obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to teach others and continue to promote drowning prevention.

Making Canadians Water Smart

The Lifesaving Society works with a number of partners to collect information on unintentional water-related deaths in Canada. Each year, we publish The National Drowning Report and provincial drowning reports. This annual drowning research helps us focus our Water Smart public education efforts toward those people who are most at risk of drowning and toward those who can make a significant difference in drowning prevention.

Setting the Standard

The Society establishes aquatic safety standards and provides consultation on safety issues to the industry, the insurance industry and all levels of government. We also perform aquatic safety audits and serve as expert witnesses in legal cases involving aquatic safety.

With All the Experience in the World

The Lifesaving Society represents Canada through membership in the International Life Saving Federation and the Royal Life Saving Society. Our international connections mean that we bring to Canadians the best the world has to offer.