Safety Tips : Safety Around Open Water (lakes, rivers, ponds, ocean)
1) Stay within sight and reach of your child when they are in or near the
water.
If your child is under 5 years old, or is a weak swimmer, stay within arms reach. Be
sure to watch older children closely too. Even if older children can swim, they can
still get into trouble, especially in open water. Beaches and other swimming
locations can be busy places, with lots of people swimming and playing. Just
knowing that your child is nearby is not enough to keep them safe. Actively
supervise your child at all times by staying within sight and reach.
An older sibling or buddy cannot be relied onto safely watch your child. Children
have drowned when an older child or sibling was watching them.
2) Make sure the adult supervisor knows how to swim.
If you cannot swim, have another trusted adult who can swim help supervise. It is a
good idea for the adult supervisors to be trained in first aid and CPR
(cardiopulmonary respiration). If your child was to get into trouble, water safety
training could help save her life. Contact your local municipality to find information
on training in your community. Know how to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency
number to get help in an emergency.
3) If you have a property (house or cottage) that is close to open water,
fence off a play area for children that is away from the water.
Children often drown during a brief period of time when an adult was not watching
them. You can help prevent child drowning by creating a barrier between your
property and the open water. A fence should be at least 4 feet (1.2 metres) high
with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Visit our fact sheet on fencing for more information.
4) Put your child in a lifejacket when he is near the water and in a boat.
Children can fall into the water quickly and silently without adults being aware. A
lifejacket can help keep your child safe until someone can rescue him.
Make sure the lifejacket fits your child's weight. Buckle it up every time, and use all
of the safety straps on the lifejacket. Your child could slip out of a lifejacket that is
too big or not buckled up properly.
Visit our fact sheet on lifejackets for more information.
1) Stay within sight and reach of your child when they are in or near the
water.
If your child is under 5 years old, or is a weak swimmer, stay within arms reach. Be
sure to watch older children closely too. Even if older children can swim, they can
still get into trouble, especially in open water. Beaches and other swimming
locations can be busy places, with lots of people swimming and playing. Just
knowing that your child is nearby is not enough to keep them safe. Actively
supervise your child at all times by staying within sight and reach.
An older sibling or buddy cannot be relied onto safely watch your child. Children
have drowned when an older child or sibling was watching them.
2) Make sure the adult supervisor knows how to swim.
If you cannot swim, have another trusted adult who can swim help supervise. It is a
good idea for the adult supervisors to be trained in first aid and CPR
(cardiopulmonary respiration). If your child was to get into trouble, water safety
training could help save her life. Contact your local municipality to find information
on training in your community. Know how to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency
number to get help in an emergency.
3) If you have a property (house or cottage) that is close to open water,
fence off a play area for children that is away from the water.
Children often drown during a brief period of time when an adult was not watching
them. You can help prevent child drowning by creating a barrier between your
property and the open water. A fence should be at least 4 feet (1.2 metres) high
with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Visit our fact sheet on fencing for more information.
4) Put your child in a lifejacket when he is near the water and in a boat.
Children can fall into the water quickly and silently without adults being aware. A
lifejacket can help keep your child safe until someone can rescue him.
Make sure the lifejacket fits your child's weight. Buckle it up every time, and use all
of the safety straps on the lifejacket. Your child could slip out of a lifejacket that is
too big or not buckled up properly.
Visit our fact sheet on lifejackets for more information.
| Water Safety |
Special Thanks To
1) Adult Supervision
Always stay within sight and reach of your child when he/she is in or near water. This includes home
swimming pools, bathtubs, and open bodies of water such as lakes, and rivers. If your child is under 5 years old,
or is a weak swimmer, stay within arms reach. Be sure to watch older children closely too. Even if older children
can swim, they can still get into trouble, especially in open water.
An older sibling or buddy cannot be relied on to safely supervise a younger child. Children have drowned when an
older child or sibling was watching them.
2) Training for Adults
Get trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), first aid, water rescue and swimming skills. If your
child was to get into trouble while you were supervising, water safety training could help save her life. Contact your
local municipality to find information on training in your community.
3) 4-Sided Pool Fencing
Almost half of all child drownings happen in backyard swimming pools. Research shows that proper pool
fencing could prevent 7 out of 10 drownings to children under age 5. Most backyard pool fences only go around 3
side sides of the pool. This means that children can still reach the pool right from the house.
Most children who have drowned in backyard pools fell into the water during a short time when their parents or
caregivers were not watching them. Children drown quickly and quietly. A parent inside the house may not hear
their child get out the back door of the house, slip into the water, and drown.
Safe pool fencing is designed so that children cannot climb over or under it. Pool fencing should be at least 4 feet
(1.2 metres) and have a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Visit our pool fencing information for more tips on safe fence designs
4) Lifejackets
Put young children under age 5, and weak swimmers, in lifejackets when they are in or near the water.
Your child should always wear a lifejacket when she is riding in a boat. You should also wear a lifejacket, even if
you know how to swim. 9 out of 10 boaters who drown in Canada were not wearing lifejackets when they get into
trouble and drowned. Wearing a lifejacket also sets a good example for children.
Make sure the lifejacket fits your child's weight and fits snugly. Check the label to make sure it has been approved
by at least one of the following:
Transport Canada
Canadian Coast Guard
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Visit our section on lifejackets for more information.
5) Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are a good way for children to gain confidence and get comfortable around water. A
survey a by Safe Kids Canada found that more than 4 out of 5 parents believe that swimming lessons are the
best way to protect a child from drowning. This survey and other research shows that parents overestimate the
importance of swimming lessons in preventing child drowning. Swimming lessons alone cannot prevent your child
from drowning.
Children under the age of 5 do not have the physical skills to perform swimming strokes on their own.
Swimming lessons for toddlers should focus on introducing children to the water and teaching parents about
water safety. Children 5 years and older can begin to learn swimming strokes and water skills. Always supervise
your child closely even as he becomes a stronger swimmer.
Always stay within sight and reach of your child when he/she is in or near water. This includes home
swimming pools, bathtubs, and open bodies of water such as lakes, and rivers. If your child is under 5 years old,
or is a weak swimmer, stay within arms reach. Be sure to watch older children closely too. Even if older children
can swim, they can still get into trouble, especially in open water.
An older sibling or buddy cannot be relied on to safely supervise a younger child. Children have drowned when an
older child or sibling was watching them.
2) Training for Adults
Get trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), first aid, water rescue and swimming skills. If your
child was to get into trouble while you were supervising, water safety training could help save her life. Contact your
local municipality to find information on training in your community.
3) 4-Sided Pool Fencing
Almost half of all child drownings happen in backyard swimming pools. Research shows that proper pool
fencing could prevent 7 out of 10 drownings to children under age 5. Most backyard pool fences only go around 3
side sides of the pool. This means that children can still reach the pool right from the house.
Most children who have drowned in backyard pools fell into the water during a short time when their parents or
caregivers were not watching them. Children drown quickly and quietly. A parent inside the house may not hear
their child get out the back door of the house, slip into the water, and drown.
Safe pool fencing is designed so that children cannot climb over or under it. Pool fencing should be at least 4 feet
(1.2 metres) and have a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Visit our pool fencing information for more tips on safe fence designs
4) Lifejackets
Put young children under age 5, and weak swimmers, in lifejackets when they are in or near the water.
Your child should always wear a lifejacket when she is riding in a boat. You should also wear a lifejacket, even if
you know how to swim. 9 out of 10 boaters who drown in Canada were not wearing lifejackets when they get into
trouble and drowned. Wearing a lifejacket also sets a good example for children.
Make sure the lifejacket fits your child's weight and fits snugly. Check the label to make sure it has been approved
by at least one of the following:
Transport Canada
Canadian Coast Guard
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Visit our section on lifejackets for more information.
5) Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are a good way for children to gain confidence and get comfortable around water. A
survey a by Safe Kids Canada found that more than 4 out of 5 parents believe that swimming lessons are the
best way to protect a child from drowning. This survey and other research shows that parents overestimate the
importance of swimming lessons in preventing child drowning. Swimming lessons alone cannot prevent your child
from drowning.
Children under the age of 5 do not have the physical skills to perform swimming strokes on their own.
Swimming lessons for toddlers should focus on introducing children to the water and teaching parents about
water safety. Children 5 years and older can begin to learn swimming strokes and water skills. Always supervise
your child closely even as he becomes a stronger swimmer.
Drowning and Near Drowning - What is the Difference?
Drowning happens when a person is submerged in water and cannot breathe for a period of time. A person
cannot survive long without breathing.
Death from drowning can happen right away or can happen later (for example, in the hospital after being
rescued). When a person dies from being under water and not able to breathe for a period of time, this is called
drowning. Drowning can happen at the scene of the incident but sometimes happens later, after the person has
been rescued (for example, at the hospital).
Sometimes people survive after being under water and not able to breathe for a period of time. When a person
survives the drowning event, but suffers injury, we call this near-drowning.
Who is at Risk for Drowning?
Children Under Age 5
All children are at risk for drowning, but young children under age 5 are at special risk because:
They are attracted to water but cannot understand the danger
They can walk but they can't swim
Their lungs are smaller than adults' and fill quickly with water
They can drown in as little as 5 centimetres (2.5 inches) of water
Children Aged 5 to 14
Older children are at risk because they may overestimate their own skills, underestimate the depth of the water or
strength of the current, or respond to a dare from a friend.
Physical strength develops throughout childhood. Even a good swimmer can get into trouble, especially in
unfamiliar water or environments.
Boys versus Girls
Among all age groups, boys are more likely to drown than girls.
About three quarters of the children who drown each year are boys
Boys account for about two thirds of near drownings
The bathtub is the only environment where young girls are more likely to drown than boys
These trends may be because parents have different attitudes about injury risks for boys than for girls. They may
also accept more risk taking in boys than in girls.
How Serious is the Problem?
Second only to car crashes, drowning kills more Canadian children under the age of 14 than any other cause of
injury
Every year about 58 children die from drowning - this is equal to about 2 classrooms full of children
Every year about 140 children must stay in the hospital because of near-drowning - this is equal to about 6
classrooms full of children
Near-drowning can result in life-long problems like difficulty learning, remembering, planning, and paying attention
When and Where do Drowning Injuries Happen?
Child drowning happens most in:
home swimming pools;
open bodies of water (such as lakes or streams) and;
bathtubs.
It is important to remember that almost half of all child drownings happen in swimming pools.
There are many other places in the home and yard where children can drown. Here are some examples:
Portable swimming pools (like large inflatable ones)
Wading pools
Hot tubs, whirlpools, or spas
Buckets
Fish ponds, decorative ponds or fountains
Drainage ditches
Dugouts
Any open bodies of water that the home backs or fronts onto
For more statistics and facts about drowning injuries, read
Safe Kids Canada's Child & Youth Unintentional Injury: 1994-2003 10 Years in Review
Drowning happens when a person is submerged in water and cannot breathe for a period of time. A person
cannot survive long without breathing.
Death from drowning can happen right away or can happen later (for example, in the hospital after being
rescued). When a person dies from being under water and not able to breathe for a period of time, this is called
drowning. Drowning can happen at the scene of the incident but sometimes happens later, after the person has
been rescued (for example, at the hospital).
Sometimes people survive after being under water and not able to breathe for a period of time. When a person
survives the drowning event, but suffers injury, we call this near-drowning.
Who is at Risk for Drowning?
Children Under Age 5
All children are at risk for drowning, but young children under age 5 are at special risk because:
They are attracted to water but cannot understand the danger
They can walk but they can't swim
Their lungs are smaller than adults' and fill quickly with water
They can drown in as little as 5 centimetres (2.5 inches) of water
Children Aged 5 to 14
Older children are at risk because they may overestimate their own skills, underestimate the depth of the water or
strength of the current, or respond to a dare from a friend.
Physical strength develops throughout childhood. Even a good swimmer can get into trouble, especially in
unfamiliar water or environments.
Boys versus Girls
Among all age groups, boys are more likely to drown than girls.
About three quarters of the children who drown each year are boys
Boys account for about two thirds of near drownings
The bathtub is the only environment where young girls are more likely to drown than boys
These trends may be because parents have different attitudes about injury risks for boys than for girls. They may
also accept more risk taking in boys than in girls.
How Serious is the Problem?
Second only to car crashes, drowning kills more Canadian children under the age of 14 than any other cause of
injury
Every year about 58 children die from drowning - this is equal to about 2 classrooms full of children
Every year about 140 children must stay in the hospital because of near-drowning - this is equal to about 6
classrooms full of children
Near-drowning can result in life-long problems like difficulty learning, remembering, planning, and paying attention
When and Where do Drowning Injuries Happen?
Child drowning happens most in:
home swimming pools;
open bodies of water (such as lakes or streams) and;
bathtubs.
It is important to remember that almost half of all child drownings happen in swimming pools.
There are many other places in the home and yard where children can drown. Here are some examples:
Portable swimming pools (like large inflatable ones)
Wading pools
Hot tubs, whirlpools, or spas
Buckets
Fish ponds, decorative ponds or fountains
Drainage ditches
Dugouts
Any open bodies of water that the home backs or fronts onto
For more statistics and facts about drowning injuries, read
Safe Kids Canada's Child & Youth Unintentional Injury: 1994-2003 10 Years in Review
| The Gananoque Police Service gratefully acknowledges the help of Safe Kids Canada Safe Kids Canada is the national injury prevention program of The Hospital for Sick Children. |
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Photos: Gananoque Police Service
| Actively supervise your kids near any body of water |
