Water safety training a must for kids
May 14, 2012 by Chloe
Students in Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Aurora, Stouffeville and other communities in York Region are learning about water safety in school, thanks to Fire and Emergency Services. Local fire departments have made it their mandate to educate the public about water safety since drowning is the second leading cause of accident-related death for children in Canada.
Many accidents can be prevented by teaching children to swim, something that is being emphasized through the water safety instructional program. Knowing one’s limits and abilities is also key, as well as taking precautions such as wearing a life jacket and having adequate safety equipment for backyard pools and in boats, dinghies, canoes, sailboats, paddleboats, and jet skies.
Going from school to school, the local Fire Departments in York Region hope to educate children so that they take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. Fire departments and other organizations such as the Red Cross have decades of experience with printing water safety manuals, flyer and brochure printing aimed to educate children through colourful graphics, cartoons and stories.
The water safety program, started this spring, is not a replacement for the water safety taught during swimming lessons, but instead is a supplement. Fire and Emergency Services hopes to reach a larger segment of the student population, including those that do not regularly take swimming lessons. They encourage children to get permission from their parents before going going to the pool, ensuring that parents know where and for how long their children have gone swimming.
