Indigenous boaters less likely to wear life jackets, says Red Cross report on drownings

The Red Cross released itsFloatationReport on June 6,after 20 years of research, and the report found that a large number of boating fatalities could have been prevented had the victims been wearing a personal flotationdevice (PFD).

"We've reviewed coroner reports and other drowning-related data from the past 20 years during which time there were at least 10,511 unintentional water-related deaths in Canada ," says RickCaissie, national vice-president of Prevention and Safety for the Canadian Red Cross.

"Up to 85 per cent of these deaths could have been prevented by simply wearing lifejackets."

According to the report, only four per cent of people who fell overboard were wearing a PFD.

Indigenous numbers'particular concern'

The Red Cross also said that statistics relating to Indigenous populations were of a "particular concern."

The report said properlifejacketuse was five times lower among Indigenous victims, and that incidents involving Indigenous people often included multiple victims, including women and children.

We recognise that there is a problem.- Mariea Dredge, boating safety officer, Newfoundland and Labrador

The report also stated that Indigenous children accounted for 38 per cent of child victims, and that none of these Indigenous children were wearing alifejacketor a PFD.

"Due to culture and way of life, they spend more time on the water and in boatsthat is theirway of life," said MarieaDredge, Red Cross boating safety officer for Newfoundland and Labrador.

"One of our goals over the summer in particular is get out and do some educational presentations with the First Nations communities. We recognizethat there is a problem."

Boat owners need educating

Pleasure craft operators can be fined byRCMPfor not having a sufficient number of proper fittingPFDsfor each individual on board the craft, Yet the study showed that many pleasure craft operatorsdidnot haveanyPFDson board.

The report found that34 per cent of inexperienced boaters, 33 per cent of occasional boaters, and 22 per cent of experienced boaters had noPFDson their craft.

"Our research has actually found that the most effective way for preventingwater-related fatalities is to have a legislation requiring a PFD to be worn and then to make sure that this legislation is enforced in the right way," said Dredge.

Alcohol a factor

Alcohol playedafactor in many boating deaths. Alcohol use was suspected or present in at least 43 per cent of deaths among victims over the age of 15.

The report also noted that an individual exceedingthe legal blood-alcohol limit was four times less likely to be wearing a PFD.

"It seems to be part of ourculture drinking and boating seems to mix for a lot of people," said Dredge.

The reportalso noted that males accounted for 93 percent of boating-related deaths.