'Fatalities every year:' How you can stay safe while boating
As boating season arrives, it’s important for Manitobans to take safety measures and remember how quickly conditions can change out on the water.
Every year, drownings take place in the province, but there are ways to prevent water emergencies. On average, there are 22 drowning deaths a year in Manitoba.
“We see fatalities every year,” said Christopher Love, the water smart and safety management coordinator with the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba.
“About 40 per cent of all the drowning deaths we see here in Manitoba occur because of boating accidents.”
Love noted that in 90 to 95 per cent of boating fatalities a life jacket was not worn or even on the boat. However, these flotation devices can be life-saving.
“[Lifejackets] are nice, they’re lightweight, they’re easy to use. They can save your life,” he said, adding that some people use different life jackets for various activities.
Along with wearing a life jacket, Love suggests following these steps when going out boating:
- Have your pleasure craft operator card with you;
- Ensure your boat is equipped with all the appropriate safety equipment;
- Be aware of the dangers of cold water; and
- Always boat sober.
“Do not be under the influence of any intoxicants, whether that is alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, cannabis, it doesn’t matter,” Love said.
Love also recommends boaters use the Weather to Boat app, which provides safety, weather and mapping information.
- With files from CTV’s Nicole Dube.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.