Image description: 3 young people jump off a dock and are mid-air as they fall towards an open body of water.

According to Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories, drowning affects over 400 people in Canada and almost a quarter of a million people worldwide. Most drowning accidents are preventable.

Over the summer months, as days get hotter and many young people are out of school, youths with their friends and families may reach out to many water-based activities to stay cool and have fun: Splash parks, water parks, indoor and outdoor pools, backyard pools, public ponds and rivers, oceans, and water activities involving rafts and boats.

With National Drowning Prevention Week (July 16 - 22) heading into World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25), scroll down for more information and tips about what to be on the lookout for to ensure a safe and fun summer before hopping into water:

Keep an Eye for Hazards

Image description: A bird’s eye view (top down) of a body of water.

Before entering a body of water, from an enclosed public pool to an open beach full of tourists, scan the area right away for any hazards. Use common sense and if you see signage about swimmable or non-swimmable areas, follow it.

Keep an eye out for obstructions such as logs, rocks, or debris. These can cause injury if not spotted beforehand. Pay attention to any signs of strong currents or undertows, as these can be dangerous for even the strongest of swimmers, and can change in mere moments.

Be cautious of any sudden changes in water colour or clarity, which could signify pollution or harmful substances. Lastly, be mindful of the presence of aquatic life, such as jellyfish or stingrays, which can cause painful stings.

Hazards can change daily, so be prepared!

Don’t Go Alone

Image description: A group of adults sit in a row together in a large body of water.

It doesn’t sound like radical knowledge, but supervised and unsupervised water can be very different. It’s all about safety in numbers (and why not enjoy a day on the beach with friends, anyway?)

In the event of an emergency or if one gets into distress, someone else can quickly raise an alarm and seek help. Additionally, the presence of others reduces the risk of potential accidents. By sharing the responsibility of keeping an eye out for each other, everyone can actively prevent mishaps and ensure a safer swimming experience.

However, if you see your friend in distress and you are not trained in lifesaving, Lifesaving Society Alberta recommends not to leap into water after your friend, lest you also put yourself in danger—instead, get the attention of lifeguards or other emergency personnel as soon as you can.

Make a Plan

Image description: A group of women sit around two small cafe tables together.

Regardless of the water activity (swimming, boating), make a safety plan and give it to someone before you go—especially if you’re going somewhere that isn’t easy for emergency services to reach.

Be prepared to call for help (cell reception, satellite phone, do you know the location you’re going to, is that location easy for emergency services to reach, if you’re really backcountry, do you have a GPS locator)

Depending on the city or province, you may also have access to various water quality and tide reports, too. These reports can tell you more about water quality, if you are at risk of catching something from nasty bacteria in the water, if the water is swimmable or not, if tides are low and high, or even ‘red tide’ (harmful algae bloom—-avoid catching and eating any shellfish)

Know Your Limits

Image description, A young person stands upright on a stand up paddleboard (SUP) in a large body of water. They are wearing a t-shirt, long swimming shorts, and a lifejacket.

Just because you were on the swim team in high school doesn’t necessarily mean you’re equipped to swim long distances as an adult, especially if you don’t swim regularly. Unexpected changes in water current and depth can affect even the strongest of swimmers, so don’t get caught without a lifejacket.

Ideally, being able to swim up to 50 meters, and tread water for at least a minute, will up your odds for surviving water accidents, should you accidentally fall into a body of water. If you haven’t gone swimming in a while and you’re not sure about your physicality, head to your local swimming pool and test yourself on the swimming lanes (50 meters is one length of an olympic sized pool, or there-and-back of a typical swimming pool).

Once you’re in, there’s no specific stroke you should be doing—use any swimming stroke you are comfortable with (breast stroke, front crawl, sidestroke), and float on your back if you need to take a break.

More Information

Drowning is a ‘silent killer’ taking upwards of 600 lives every day around the world, especially in developing countries. July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day, and through awareness, education, supervision, training, and emergency preparedness, individuals and communities can make water safety paramount and reduce drownings for good.

World Drowning Prevention Day - World Health Organization

National Drowning Prevention Week - Lifesaving Society

World Drowning Prevention Day - Lifesaving Society

Swim to Survive Activity Guide - Lifesaving Society