Red Cross Focuses on Preventing Boating Accidents

Friday, August 05, 2005 03:58 AM

Something to think about as you get ready to float down the river, or head to the lake for the weekend. The Red Cross in Prince George is going out of its way to convince you to actually WEAR your life jacket.

New Red Cross team member, Danielle Evanoffe will be visiting local sporting, community and cultural events, promoting safe boating behaviour and educating people on the need to wear their lifejackets.

“At Red Cross we’ve heard all the excuses there are for not wearing a lifejacket,” Evanoff said. “People think ‘I’m close to shore, I’m a good swimmer, it’s nice out.’ The one we hear most often, and which makes boaters feel safe, is: ‘I have my lifejacket close by in the boat - just in case.’ But when 200 people in Canada still drown each year while boating, we know that close by isn’t close enough.”

Ninety per cent of boaters who drown are not properly wearing their lifejacket – either they don’t have one on or it isn’t zipped/buckled up and so slips off in the water. The Red Cross BoatSmart campaign is aimed at increasing lifejacket use among Canadians, particularly in the high risk group of males aged 15-35.

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Posted on Friday, August 05, 2005 03:58 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Chadermando on August 6 2005 3:31 PM

I'd like to know how the 10% that do drown properly wearing a life jacket manage to do that?

It seams kind of an odd statistic....

IMO more important than wearing the life jacket is to not be wearing shoes and jeans. Those will drag you down pretty quick.

Posted by: gypsy on August 9 2005 2:13 PM

Boaters have known for years and years, AND YEARS, that life jackets should be worn when out on the water in a watercraft, so this Boatsmart Campaign is pretty useless, and rather pointless, as they will only be telling people something they ALREADY KNOW. It is like I C B C wanting to educate truckers they should not drive when they are fatigued. Give me a break-truckers already know that.
I think some of these brain waves come from short circuited brains!!!! Just do a GET SMART list and do it on a One, two, three, list and so on. Just as beneficial, and takes a lot less time!!!! And don't preach what is common knowledge. Borrrrring!!!!