Water Safety Poster Contest

The Canada Safety Council, in collaboration with the Lifesaving Society, Bombardier Recreational Products and the Canadian Coast Guard, is inviting Grade 3 to 6 students across Canada to participate in the Summer Water Safety Poster Contest.

There are prizes of $400, $200 and $100 for the three best posters. In addition, the teacher and school of the first prize winner receive prizes. All participants receive a certificate of participation.

Focus on Boating Safety

Drowning represents the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for Canadians 24 years of age and under. More than twice as many Canadian households own pleasure boats than backyard swimming pools. This contributes to a larger number of drownings for boating than for backyard pools.

This poster competition aims to make children more aware of water safety this summer. Following are the key messages CSC is asking teachers to discuss with their students for use in the contest.

Swimming Safety

• Learn to swim. Learn lifesaving skills.
• Always swim with a buddy. Never go into the water alone.
• Play and swim in supervised areas.
• Feet first, first time. Never dive into shallow water.
• While swimming, if caught in a strong current, float until the current weakens and you can swim to safety.
• Watch out for uneven bottoms, holes, drop-offs and debris.
• Be careful around steep or slippery banks.
• Watch out for large waves. They can knock you off your feet.

Boating Safety

• Always wear a personal flotation device or a life jacket while boating.
• Boaters must be aware of swimming areas, large ships, shipping areas, water skiers, fishermen, anchored vessels, docks and moorings.
• An overloaded boat can tip over or sink even when there is no wind and the water is calm. Small boats have a capacity plate that tells how many people and how much weight can safely be put in the boat.
• Take a boating course. For information on boating safety call the Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687, or visit the Canadian Coast Guard web site.

Pool Safety

• Do not run on or near a pool deck.
• Do not play on or near a diving board.
• Do not jump on or near people in the pool.
• Do not jump in shallow end of pool.
• Do not enter pool areas that are closed or locked.

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