‘Preventable’: Safety experts stress education about dangers of open water

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Nick DeFazio is deeply concerned about how often Ottawa’s water emergency teams have been called into action already this year.

“Our water teams are fast, but they should be a last resort,” said DeFazio, the Ottawa Fire Services media-relations officer.

“Most of these are preventable. People need to do their research before going in the water.”

Every drowning death is a tragedy and Ottawa has experienced three in the past three weeks alone, plus there’ve been plenty of other close calls.

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Already in 2024, OFS have been called for water rescues 18 times, including six in May and six in the first week and a half of June.

In January-June 2023, there were a total of 13 water rescue calls for OFS. There were 10 in that time frame in 2022, and 16 in 2021.

All told, there were 54 water rescue calls in 2023, and the trend is ticking upward this year as hotter summer temperatures arrive and more people venture into the water.

On June 10, an 11-year-old boy died after jumping off a pedestrian bridge in the Carp River Conservation Area. The police investigation continues, but it’s believed heavy rains during the previous week played a role in an area where water levels would be typically low.

On June 4, a nine-year-old boy died after being pulled out of the water at Britannia Beach. The beach was unsupervised at the time, with Ottawa’s program for lifeguards at city beaches only scheduled to begin on June 15.

A week before that, a man attempting to retrieve a boat tied to shore in the dangerous Deschênes Rapids, just east of Britannia Beach, perished after becoming tangled in ropes and submerged.

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There are 450 deaths by drowning each year across Canada, according to the Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition. For every fatal drowning, there are four non-fatal water rescues requiring hospital visits.

Accordingly, the message is about finding a way to improve messaging about the dangers of open water.

DeFazio says the higher rescue numbers this year reflect the fact more people have been on the water due to unusually warm temperatures in April, May and June.

“There are a lot of things people need to consider,” he said. “At Britannia, get to know your area at the beach. There is a drop-off. People think it’s not serious, but you need to be aware.

“People might be on inflatables and they can get pushed by the wind and then into the Deschênes Rapids. That’s no place for an inflatable or a noodle or a paddleboard.”

Indeed, eight of the rescues already this year have been in the Deschênes Rapids, which are especially hazardous due to the rocky bottom and how quickly shallow water becomes deep.

DeFazio says the strength of the Ottawa River current is underestimated, too. The Remic Rapids and Chaudière Rapids are further east.

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When a rescue team is dispatched to an emergency at Deschênes Rapids, a second squad is also assigned to a spot downstream, just in case the first unit experiences trouble.

DeFazio says people heading to water need to bring lifejackets and check their weather apps, always on alert for sudden changes.

Strong swimmers and boaters, he says, are often overconfident in the water, possessing a false sense of security. Boats can hit objects and swimmers can be hit by objects in the water.

“People need to be more diligent. They have to keep their eyes off the phone. Even Michael Phelps can’t swim if he’s unconscious,” he said.

All of the above is echoed by Sean Duffy, vice-president of management and training at Lifesaving Ontario.

“The majority of drowning deaths are in open water, in lakes and rivers where it’s unsupervised,” said Duffy, who is also a member of the Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition.

“It’s a challenging situation, getting the message out, of telling people to know their environment and of knowing the risks.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic began and people were looking for outside activities, there was a significant rise in the number of people enjoying waterways.

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In one respect, it was a healthy development. However, there is a need for education about trips to unpredictable spots on open water.

“You might be a strong swimmer in a pool, but you’re dealing with moving water, currents, hazards under the water that you don’t see,” Duffy said.

He advises boat owners to take safety courses, for swimmers to take lessons and for adults to talk to their children about the potential dangers before they hit the water.

“The swimming lessons are not only for the skills, but also to practise safe behaviours, to know the risk factors,” Duffy said.

The absence of lifeguards at Britannia Beach, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island in May and early June has been a hot topic, prompting some community groups to suggest additional staffing is necessary to improve safety. According to the Drowning Prevention Coalition, only one per cent of drowning deaths occur when lifeguards are on duty.

The City of Ottawa, however, is working within a budget and typically hires high school students, who are still in class until late June, as lifeguards. Training sessions on the beach typically occur on weekends and evenings in May and early June.

With or without lifeguards in place, it’s vital that all users read the signage at beaches.

“In the absence of lifeguards, parents become the lifeguards,” Duffy said. “It’s a whole community approach.”

Both Duffy and DeFazio concede the message too often falls on deaf ears.

“Safety is notoriously hard to sell,” DeFazio said. “Until it happens to you.”

kwarren@postmedia.com

X: Citizenkwarren

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