Three basic survival skills everybody should have if they’re in or around water this summer

Timely advice to stay safe while you and your loved-ones are on, in or near the water this summer.

The organization which certifies lifeguards across Canada says people in or around water this summer should take stock in their own swimming skills, not for perfection but proficiency.

The Lifesaving Society’s ‘Swim to Survive’ program is the national baseline for training individuals to survive an unexpected fall into deep water.

Data shows that most people who drown had no intention of going into the water.

Sarah Hebb-Thomas, CEO of the Lifesaving Society New Brunswick, says ‘Swim to Survive’ is aimed primarily at children but are skills meant for all ages.

“The research tells us that these are the survival skills, hence ‘Swim to Survive,’ that every Canadian should have in order to have that bit of water proficiency to be safe around water,” says Hebb-Thomas.

‘Swim to Survive’ includes a sequenced order of performing three skills:

• Roll into deep water to simulate a fall, orienting yourself at the surface
• Tread water for one minute to support yourself at the surface as you locate the nearest point of safety
• Swim 50 metres to the nearest point of safety

“The 50 metres doesn’t need to be pretty, it doesn’t need to be textbook, or a Summer MacIntosh style technique,” says Hebb-Thomas. “They just need to be able to do it.”

The society says ‘Swim to Survive’ isn’t a replacement for swimming lessons but rather a minimum training standard for all individuals who are in or around aquatic areas.

According to society’s most recent information, 65 per cent of drownings in the Maritime region happen between May and September. Throughout the year, about 85 per cent of all drowning victims in the Maritimes are male.

Most drowning incidents across the region happen in rivers (at 29 per cent), followed by lakes and ponds (25 per cent), the ocean (25 per cent), pools (7 per cent), bathtubs (6 per cent), and locations categorized as ‘other’ (8 per cent).

Data from the society shows that less than one per cent of drowning happen in a supervised lifeguard setting.