Atlantic Canada drownings shock Red Cross

The 13drownings this summer in Atlantic Canada have alreadyequalled the total averagenumber for the whole season, saystheCanadian Red Cross.

Onaverage,30 drowningsoccur yearlyin the region, and about half are in the summer, Wayne Young, director of injury prevention for the Red Cross in Atlantic Canada, said in a news release Thursday.

"It's horrifying to see that we're barely at the mid-point of summer with some of the hottest days still to come, but have already reached what would typically be the total number of drownings for the entire summer in the Atlantic region," said Young.

The most recent death involved a Quebec man visiting Cavendish Beach in P.E.I. on Wednesday. Two toddlers one near Windsor, N.S., and another near Saint John, N.B. drowned in backyard pools in the last two weeks.

The Red Cross is reminding people to follow the basic rules of water safety:

• Adult supervision of toddlers and weak swimmers on or near the water.
• Backyard poolsshould befully fenced in with self-latching gates
• Swim at beaches or poolswith lifeguards on duty.
• Never consume alcohol before or during swimming or boating activities.
• Ensure everyone aboarda boat is wearing a properly fitted life-jacket.

While recent drownings have been in the ocean and pools, Red Cross research shows 40 per cent of drownings in Atlantic Canada occur in lakes.