Lifesaving Society Urges Caution At The Lake

Lifesaving Society Urges Caution At The Lake

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 14:40

It’s Drowning Prevention week in Saskatchewan and the Lifesaving Society is working hard on prevention strategies.

Society CEO Shelby Rushton says it’s distressing that there have already been a number of drownings in the province this year already.

Rushton says this year’s flooding across the province has also created hazards in provincial lakes such as debris and changed currents in the water.

“So if you’re swimming or boating you could catch your propeller on the debris, or if you’re swimming in it you could get caught up in it, get trapped underwater or get cut.  So that in itself is a problem as well as there’s a lot more currents in the water right now so it might be stronger than normal.  So if you’ve gone to the lake year-after-year, it might be a totally different ballgame this year.  And what once was shallow water may be a lot deeper than you expect.”

Rushton says water is always dangerous and precautions include not drinking and boating, supervising young children around water and always wearing a lifejacket.

The Lifesaving Society is also offering swimming lessons and boating safety in several communities in the across the north.