It’s a scorcher out there and maybe you’re thinking of getting out in the water for boating or swimming. But before you do, the Canadian Red Cross is reminding you to wear it – your lifejacket, that is.
It's National Water Safety Week so the Red Cross teamed up with the Toronto Police Marine Unit to do a special video from a police boat. We asked journalist Amber Mac and her two-year-old son, Conner, to join us and help share important safety messages about what we can all do to ensure our children are safe when near water.
The reality is that drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death for Canadian children ages one to four.
So what can you do to keep you and your family safe?
- Always watch children actively when they are around water, even if they can swim
- Enrol in a Canadian Red Cross swimming lesson and learn about water safety
- Wear it. Nearly 90 per cent of boaters who drown are not wearing, or are not properly wearing, their lifejacket. It will only work if you wear it!
- Have a backyard pool? Make sure it’s fenced in with a self-closing, self-latching gate; clear toys out of the water; and have a floatation or reaching assist nearby in case of emergency
- If you use a portable toddler pool, make sure you empty it after each use
Want to know more? Check out our website.
Also, watch for our water safety video which will be posted on the blog in the coming days.