Safety expert urges caution around water as Quebec construction holiday begins

As Quebecers kickstart their vacations, galore are gathering astir pools and different bodies of h2o to bask nan sunny weather.

But nan Quebec branch of nan Lifesaving Society says this is besides nan clip of twelvemonth erstwhile it sees nan astir drownings.

So acold this year, 32 Quebecers person mislaid their lives successful drowning incidents, though that full is down from 44 astatine this clip past year.

The Quebec nine says 1 of nan apical tips it is giving to group is effort to not spell in, near, aliases connected nan water, by yourself.

“More than 50 per cent of nan drowning victims successful nan past 5 years, they were alone,” said Raynald Hawkins, executive head of nan Lifesaving Society’s Quebec operations.

“It doesn’t matter nan gender, age, aquatic aliases boating activity. Because nary 1 tin telephone 911, nary 1 tin effort to scope aliases thief and nary 1 tin explicate nan existent communicative astir nan drowning.”

Another large connection nan lifesaving nine hopes to get retired is 1 to parents.

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Hawkins says it only takes astir 15 to 20 seconds for a toddler to drown, and truthful adults request to beryllium supervising their children astatine each times.

“The champion lifeguard, nan champion personification to supervise nan kid astatine each times, is you,” Hawkins said. “So please counsel different adult, not nan large sisters and large brothers — OK, for nan adjacent 15 minutes, you’re gonna beryllium connected defender — nan lifeguard. You’re gonna supervise. No distractions, nary different tasks than supervising.”

Hawkins besides stressed nan value of ever wearing a life-jacket, if you’re retired connected nan h2o and to refrain from drinking intoxicant until you’re backmost connected shore.