Officials are reminding people to stay safe around the water this summer.
July 15-21 is National Drowning Prevention Week.
Executive Director of the Lifesaving Society in Nova Scotia, Mike Maguire says this year they’re placing a focus on how people use their phones around the water.
“We call it, ‘Watch me not your phone’. You’re at the beach with your kid and you kind of lose track of where they are. When we’re in an aquatic environment it’s really important for parents to pay attention.”
DYK one of the leading causes of death in children ages 1 to 4 is #drowning? Supervise children at all times. A small child can drown in as little as one inch of water in just a few seconds. https://t.co/VHdLn7xHqF #ndpw2018 #watersafety pic.twitter.com/dBq78bdiAM
— GovCanHealth (@GovCanHealth) July 15, 2018
Maguire says parents should stay off their phones and watch their children.
“We call it active supervision. That’s the idea of being down, playing near the water’s edge with your kids. And that’s going to not only be fun for the kids and fun for the parents, it’s going to help keep the kids safe.”
Maguire says around 500 people die in Canada each year from preventable water-related incidents.
The Lifesaving Society is offering their Swim to Survive program July 18 and 20 from 10:00 to 11:00am at these beaches:
In Lunenburg County:
Rissers Beach
Bayswater Beach
In Yarmouth County:
Lake Ellenwood Beach
Lake Milo Boat Club
Port Maitland Beach
Reported by Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
