A study by Allstate Insurance finds Canadian pool owners plan to supervise their kids while working from home this summer.
A report by the Quebec branch of the Lifesaving Society in 2019 found 87 per cent of child drownings were due to distracted supervision or no supervision.
Wendy Schultenkamper of the Lifesaving Society of Canada said most drownings do not involve splashing and yelling for help.
“Most drownings occur in under 30 seconds, usually closer to the 20-second mark. The majority of the struggle is underwater and if they do manage to surface, they are not calling for help but just gasping for breath,” Schultenkamper said.
Schultenkamper said in cases where kids drown in backyard pools, parents often say they only looked away for a second.
Drowning is Preventable. Over 400 Canadians die in preventable water-related incidents annually. Even one drowning is one too many. pic.twitter.com/39ltRfVqZi
— Lifesaving Society Canada / Société de sauvetage (@RLSSCanada) July 19, 2020
During National Drowning Prevention Week, the Lifesaving Society of Canada encourages backyard pool safety to prevent needless deaths.
More than 400 Canadians die every year in preventable water-related deaths.
“If you are actually working, that is probably not the time for the kids to be in the pool so that when they are in the water, your supervision of them is completely 100 per cent on them and not distracted by the phone, the computer,” Schultenkamper said
She suggests parents working from home this summer supervise their kids while taking a break so they can watch closely.
Schultenkamper says if you are not within arm’s reach of your children in a pool, you are too far.
In Canada, wearing lifejackets on a boat is not legally required.
The only requirement is there be enough PFD’s that fit everyone on the vessel.
Tips for parents planning pool-time this summer:
-Appoint an adult to supervise any children in the water – if you are not within arm’s reach, you have gone too far.
-In 25% of all backyard pool-related drownings, adult supervision was present but distracted (e.g. on a cell phone, reading a book).
-Unlike the movies, there is no splashing or screaming when someone is at risk of drowning
-Take a layered approach to drowning prevention to include:
-Restricting access to the water (self-latching gate and four-sided fencing), constant adult supervision and swimming lessons for all members of the family.
