It was a splashing good time at the Almer Carlson outdoor pool last Saturday, as swimmers of varying ages and abilities showed up to learn how to swim to survive.
The event was hosted by the Lifesaving Society, and the aim is to provide swimmers with the three necessary skills to survive an unexpected fall into deep water.
On average, British Columbia has 300 water-related incidents a year: on July 25, a boater named James Hogg saved five swimmers in nearby Harrison Lake.
“If another 10 minutes went by, they would have all been gone. Ten minutes, I think, would have been the difference between looking for some bodies today or not,” said Hogg.
READ MORE: Fraser Valley boater urges caution on the water after saving group of 5 from drowning
Knowing what to do in deep water is the key to surviving a fall into it, which is why the Lifesaving Society has committed to educating the public about the following three swim skills:
n ROLL into deep water;
n TREAD water for at least one minute;
n SWIM 50 metres.
All participants received a free swim after completing the skills, and the first two dozen participants also received a small prize bag.
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With files from Adam Louis