Premier Darrell Dexter has declared July 19-25, National Drowning Prevention Week in Nova Scotia.

"The summer months are a time to enjoy the outdoors, especially Nova Scotia's many beautiful lakes and beaches," said Premier Dexter. "That means people need to be particularly careful while on or near the water.

"I encourage all Nova Scotians to use common sense and practice water safety while swimming and boating in order to prevent a tragedy."

Statistics show that more than 500 people die in Canada every year in water-related incidents. Nova Scotia has already seen several drowning deaths in the province this year while people were swimming, boating and fishing.

"Drowning can occur very quickly, in as little as 10 seconds," said Krista Elvidge, president of the Lifesaving Society of Nova Scotia. "It is often silent and in just about every case it is preventable."

National Drowning Prevention Week in Nova Scotia is organized by the provincial branch of the Lifesaving Society. The Lifesaving Society urges Nova Scotians to follow these steps to ensure a safe summer:

• take a lifesaving course and learn how to reduce the risk of drowning
• make sure everyone in the family can achieve the Canadian Swim to Survive standard, including being able to surface after falling in deep water, tread water for one minute, and swim 50 meters
• always wear a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) when boating
• do not consume alcohol while swimming or operating a boat
• always closely supervise children. Keep them within arms' reach and, whenever possible, chose to swim in an area supervised by a lifeguard

For more information about water safety, visit www.lifesavingsociety.ns.ca .

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