The greatest caution is advised, this summer, in swimming pools and on bodies of water in Quebec, if we want to avoid a catastrophic scenario like the one that is emerging in certain American States where there has been an increase disturbing drowning.
• Read also: New water safety measures
The summer of 2020, against the backdrop of a pandemic, presents unique challenges and we will have to be extra careful, acknowledges the director of the Lifesaving Society, Raynald Hawkins.
Photo ANNIE T. ROUSSEL
Raynald Hawkins, Executive Director of the Lifesaving Society.
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Less inclined to travel, many Quebecers have purchased a residential swimming pool. Hopefully each of these new owners will adopt best practices.
However, drowning in children is a “silent phenomenon” which can occur in only 15 to 20 seconds. Thus, teleworking is absolutely prohibited by the pool and there must always be a designated supervisor.
“No thanks”
“Bringing my computer to the edge of the pool thinking I can monitor [les enfants] then continue to answer my emails, it’s no, thank you, ”says Hawkins.
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“The states of Florida and Texas have shown us that they already have a 70% growth in drowning in children and that telework could be a factor,” said Mr. Hawkins.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest, was with him in Quebec on Sunday for the launch of the Splash brigade that does prevention.
Mme Laforest said she saved her own five-year-old daughter from drowning several years ago during a lake incident to demonstrate that accidents do not only happen to others.
The little girl then found herself under an inflatable island by mistake. Fortunately, Mme Laforest was not far away and had undergone first aid training.
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“She was next to me, she had her life jacket. […] The time I dive in and go find it […], it was inanimate, then I had to do the maneuvers, “said the minister.
New procedures
Furthermore, Raynald Hawkins hopes that the restrictions in public swimming pools, water parks and beaches, where the capacity is reduced, will not lead bathers to fall back on places that are not equipped and therefore more dangerous , like natural rivers.
“You don’t know the bottom of that river. A large downpour is enough to change the water flow, create new vortices, ”he warns.
Mr. Hawkins insisted that priority should be given to supervised bathing places, stressing that the thousands of rescuers who will ensure the safety of users have been trained in new procedures to prevent COVID-19.
Drownings in Quebec
- Already 31 water-related deaths this year in Quebec *
On average, the risk of drowning is:
- 40% in rivers
- 30% in lakes
- 15% in residential pools
- Less than 1% in supervised places (public swimming pools, beaches, water parks)
* Data from the Lifesaving Society. The number of deaths in 2020 includes the deaths of the six snowmobilers who perished in Lac Saint-Jean in January.
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