Water Safety

During 2022, Red Cross is supporting its current Training Partners in making the transition to the swimming, lifeguarding, and aquatic leadership programs of the Lifesaving Society of Canada. As the transition is underway, the Canadian Red Cross looks back on the program and the volunteers who contributed to it with gratitude and acknowledgement of their life changing work.

The Canadian Red Cross family experienced a great loss last week. Long-time volunteer, mentor, Master Instructor Trainer (MIT), and friend, Barney Chanda, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, October 13th. Many will recognize Barney for his many appearances over the years in Red Cross first aid and water safety manuals, videos, and resources.

Parents, teachers and caregivers can all play an important role in keeping children safe when they are in, on or around water. Drowning is preventable. Through education, we can help children enjoy the water safely this summer.

The Red Cross has put together a series of educational resources on water safety intended for both children and those who care for them.  
 

With summer in full swing, we are all looking for ways to beat the heat while having fun, and what better way than to go for a swim? This year there has been a rise in new backyard pool owners, and whether it’s inflatable or above ground we want to help you ‘S.P.L.A.S.H.’ into summer fun while keeping your family safe!

We’ve all seen the terms “lifejacket” and “PFD” mentioned when talking about water safety, but what many people don’t know is that the two items are different in material, level of protection, and purpose. It’s like a bike helmet and a motorcycle helmet– both have similar purposes, but different circumstances will call for more appropriate use of one over the other.
 

Know your breaststroke from your front crawl? Think you’d be fine if you found yourself unexpectedly swimming in open water? Every year, even great swimmers drown so here’s a few reasons why everyone, even strong swimmers, need to wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD).

Trying to beat the heat this summer? Nothing’s better than a good swim, especially if you have floaties and other recreational water toys to play with.

Unfortunately, improper water toy use can lead to accidents or injury.

Stay safe with these tips for different types of water toys.

Parks and playgrounds were summer’s go-to for children across Canada. It’s still uncertain times with some places opening public areas, depending on your region, and some places still off-limits, especially for children. Even still, some Canadians may still be unsure about venturing into common domains. With that in mind, we thought to bring you some ideas to entertain children around home – still.