Water Safety Week 2012- Canadian Red Cross

Water Safety Week 2012

Swimming lessons are for life

An average of 400 Canadians drown each year. While the ability to swim is important, swimming skills alone aren’t always enough to save a life. Learning water safety is key to preventing an emergency in or on the water, and also teaches what to do if you find yourself in an emergency situation. The Red Cross Swim program teaches both swimming skills, and water safety knowledge and skills – the most effective combination in preventing water–related injuries and fatalities.

Only 46 per cent of children know how to swim
For 51 per cent of Canadians, ‘not allowing children under 10 to access the pool area’ is their only strategy to prevent injuries related to backyard pools. This relies too much on verbal commands.
11 per cent of Canadian respondents who own a pool indicate they are doing nothing to prevent access to the pool for children under 10.

June 2-9, 2012, is Water Safety Week, an annual campaign to educate Canadians on how to stay safe around water and prevent drowning incidents.

For tips on how to ensure your family enjoys water activities safely this summer, download our health and safety tip sheet:

Health and safety tips – summer water safety (PDF, 153KB)

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