John Watt’s eyes still grow fearful when recalling the day he nearly drowned in a canoe accident.

He and his brother, then 12 and 13, were far from the lake’s shore, heedless of storm clouds sweeping in.

“In two minutes things went from sunny and smooth to dark and choppy. Then the canoe capsized,” he said.

“I felt so cold. We had no life jackets so we hung onto the canoe. I went under, I don’t know how many times. I lost sight of my brother.

“Just when I felt so weak it was over — a boat came and pulled us out.”

The experience changed Watt’s life. He became a lifeguard and a beach patrol expert and he eventually worked with government departments supervising life-saving programs.

Now, amid a spate of drownings this summer, Watt, 60, has teamed with former Canadian Olympic swimmer Elaine Tanner to stop these “largely preventable” losses.

“No one blames those involved but our society has lost our values regarding water safety,” said Tanner, 59, a three-time Olympic medallist and member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

“Pools have closed in cities so fewer children to learn to swim. Provincial park lifeguards have been removed.

“Who takes responsibility for water safety as a public health concern?”

Watt agreed.

“Cutbacks mean things are falling through the cracks.”

Statistics from the Canadian Lifesaving Society show that through July 20 this year, 213 Canadians drowned, compared to 183 last year — a 16% increase.

In Ontario this summer, from May to July 20, 45 people drowned, up about 10% from the same time last year. Ontario’s quarter million lakes, countless rivers and streams, hold about one-third of the world’s fresh water so in rural counties, living near water hazards is a fact of everyday life.

Be it the local swimming hole, pond, streams, rivers, bogs, marshes, lakes, or cottage waterfronts, vigilance must be built in, said Barbara Byers, the society’s public education director.

Tragically, of the 45 Ontario deaths 13 were children, she said, and five of them died in lakes.

People in rural areas living near bodies of water should consider double gates with locks or alarms to protect children, she said, as well as making them wear life jackets when outside as a precaution, she said. Parents should insist their children learn to swim.

Terry Rees, executive director for the federation of Ontario’s cottagers associations, said though most cottage owners and boaters are responsible, being on vacation can lead some to let their guard down.

“It’s that thinking that everybody knows it can happen, but nobody ever thinks it can happen to them,” he said, “but it can, and does — very quickly.”

Drowning is often silent and can take only 20 seconds. About 80% of those who drown are men between the ages of 18 and 55. That’s because they tend not to wear life jackets and they are more likely to drink in or on the water.

Men are also more likely to overestimate their swimming skill and underestimate the distance they must swim, studies show.

Cottage lovers can survey and become familiar with the terrain around and in their local waterway, knowing this can change from year to year, Rees said.

“If there is a dangerous area, rope it off or put a sign or buoy out to mark it,” Rees said.

More than 200 boating fatalities occur each year in Canada along with an estimated 6,000 non-fatal accidents, again most of them preventable.

Lifejackets or personal floatation devices are crucial for anyone in a boat, experts say. Children or weak swimmers should wear them, even on the dock. If you invite guests, there should be a variety of extra PFDs in different sizes for everyone.

Everyone who operates a powered motor water vessel must have a pleasure boat operator card from a certified course. To get it, you must pass an exam about basic boat safety. Without one, you face a $250 fine, which becomes $315 after surcharges.

“It’s very easy to start a boat and get it operating, but to do it well is totally different,” Rees said.

No one under 16 years should operate a personal watercraft, he said.

Fishermen also face water hazards, said Greg Farrant, spokesperson for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, which recommends people not fish alone — if you fall overboard, having a partner can be lifesaving — and telling others where you are going and when you will return.

Always check to ensure your boating gear is shipshape, that there are enough PFDs and rescue equipment, such as lines with floatation devices attached to throw out, plus a good bailing system.

Dams, hydroelectric stations and their nearby waterways present a serious hazard, Farrant said. They can create dramatic shifts in water levels, often many kilometres away and though they’re marked with warning signs and buoys, since they’re natural draws for fish, people tend to ignore them, he said, but they do so at their peril.

“If one of those dams is opened and you get caught in that undertow, you are a goner,” he said.

Ontario Power Generation now lends free tackle to fishermen with literature warning of these dangers.

“Our groups are working very hard to get this message out,” Farrant said.

Safety experts said whether swimming, boating or fishing, being aware of your surroundings at all times is crucial.

Watt and Tanner want lifeguards brought back to the swimming beaches in the province’s 329 parks. Less than 1% of drownings occur where a lifeguard is present, they said.

Continue to full article via Water hazards resurface – The Whig Standard – Ontario, CA.