Opinion | Swimming proficiency and water awareness are key to preventing drownings in Ottawa
By sheer coincidence, I was at the beach that evening, arriving at around 7:45 p.m, roughly half an hour after emergency responders did.As an Ottawa Fire Services search boat swept the bay, other responders walked in the water, hoping to locate the man. A half dozen police and paramedic vehicles were nearby on the eastern portion of the beach, lights flashing. An ambulance had backed up close to the water, its back door open and a wheeled ambulance stretcher placed on the beach.
I saw a young red-shirted City of Ottawa lifeguard walk across the beach to the Ron Kolbus Centre, accompanied by an emergency responder who I imagined was comforting her. The incident occurred just after 7 p.m., which is when the lifeguards officially go off duty and the beach is no longer supervised. As usual, an announcement was made over the beach’s PA system at the time to let the public know their shifts were over.
You wonder in these situations what can be done. Can incidents like this, and the one that occurred at the same beach on Sunday evening, in which a teenage woman was rescued after being unconscious in the water for about nine minutes, be prevented? But that isn’t really the problem, according to Chris Wagg, former chair of the Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition.
“It just comes down to the same basics: if you know how to swim, and you’re swimming in a known area, with a buddy, all those things.”
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
GARRIOCH: Ottawa Senators part ways with assistant GM Trent MannA year after being named to a role as one of the club\u0027s assistant general managers, the Senators parted ways with Trent Mann.
Read more »
Recovery of Chinook helicopter that crashed into Ottawa River now underwayA barge and crane will be used to bring to the surface the wreckage of a RCAF Chinook helicopter now underwater.
Read more »
Military prepares to pull crashed Chinook helicopter from Ottawa RiverBodies of the two pilots were recovered last month after an extensive search near Petawawa, Ont.
Read more »
Ottawa announces $160M for Alberta solar power projectsThose projects are slated to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
Read more »
After two huge blows, Ottawa Redblacks' QB situation moves in different directionOttawa Redblacks\u0027 No. 1 QB, Jeremiah Masoli, is gone for the season. The No. 3 QB? Gone. The No. 2 QB has been passed by the No. 4.
Read more »