400+ Drowning Deaths a Year Still Too Many, says Lifesaving Society on Launch of National Drowning Prevention Week



With more than 400 fatalities annually, drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional death among
Canadians under 60 years of age reports the Lifesaving Society, Canada's lifeguarding experts.

In fact, more than 60% of all drowning deaths in Canada
occur during participation in summer-time recreational activities including swimming and fishing or boating, with approximately two-thirds of drownings occurring just 15 meters from safety.

"It is a tragic statistic," says Nicole Liddell, the Lifesaving
Society's National President-Elect, "but every year, hundreds of Canadians die as the result of drowning; and the truth is, many of these tragedies might have been prevented if people took the time to wear a personal flotation device (PDF) and learned a few basic skills."

Just this past June, a father and son, Janusz Beilawski, 50, and Thomas Beilawski, 24, drowned tragically in a fishing accident on Slocombe Lake in Huntsville, ON. Janusz jumped into the water to help his son after his canoe had overturned. Huntsville OPP Const. Lynda Cranney reported that neither of the men was wearing life-jackets.


National Drowning Prevention Week, July 19 – 27, is timed to coincide with the warmest summer weather when many Canadian's are seeking ways to cool off and beat summer's heat.

The Lifesaving Society is a national, volunteer organization and registered charity whose mandate is drowning prevention.