With summer underway and more people heading to beaches, lakes and backyard pools, Island Health is reminding everyone to make water safety a priority to prevent drownings and serious injuries.
Preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service’s Accidental Drowning Deaths report recorded 23 fatal drownings in Island Health in 2024. Though fewer than the year before (32), it’s higher than the Island Health 11-year historical average of 17.
Most drownings (80 per cent) happen in natural bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers, according to the Lifesaving Society. Deaths are most likely to occur during the summer, particularly in July and August, and on weekends. People are at higher risk of drownings including males, people with underlying medical conditions, such as seizures, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and newcomers to Canada.
“As the weather starts to warm up, now is a great time to improve water safety skills and learn how to swim,” said Neil Arason, injury prevention lead. “Swimming lessons may reduce the risk of drowning in children under four years of age. Swimming skills are just one part of a robust safety plan, that also includes close, constant, attentive supervision, and learning lifesaving skills.”
Island Health is partnering with the Lifesaving Society of BC & Yukon to offer free Swim to Survive programs this summer for children and parents in remote and underserved areas, including Indigenous communities. Swim to Survive teaches essential minimum skills required to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. The Society is actively coordinating with schools, municipalities, and local organizations to schedule upcoming sessions for July and August. Communities interested in hosting the program can contact the Society by emailing dirkp@lifesaving.bc.ca. Watch for details of Swim to Survive programs on your community’s website and social media.
"We’re delighted to partner with Island Health to bring life-saving water safety education to communities through our Swim to Survive program,” said Lenea Grace, Executive Director, Lifesaving Society, BC and Yukon. “This partnership enables us to reach more people in remote areas and equip both children and adults with the essential skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. Drowning is preventable, and through strong community partnerships like this, we're making water safety education more accessible than ever.”
For every fatal drowning there are at least three non-fatal drownings, which may result in brain or other organ damage, the effects of which can be mild to severe. A review of non-fatal drownings in the Island Health region requiring emergency care and/or overnight hospital stays over the last five years found that 59 per cent occurred in lakes or the ocean, most commonly in late spring and summer, and mostly in the afternoon or evening.
“Non-fatal drownings can be life-altering. They can cause lasting damage to the brain and other organs,” said Arason. “Our review also found that 27 per cent of non-fatal drownings involved alcohol or other substances—a stark reminder that swimming while impaired puts lives at risk.”
Water safety tips
- Learn to swim
- Keep young children within arm’s reach
- Stay sober
- Wear a Transport Canada approved lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD)
- In outdoor bodies of water, stay within marked bounds (may be marked by buoys or posts)
- If caught in an ocean current, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim into shore at an angle
- At backyard pools, designate a sober adult to supervise those in the water.
- Install four-sided fencing (min. 4 feet high) with a self-closing and self-latching gate around backyard pools
- Empty kids’ pools immediately after use and store them upside down.