FORT NELSON, B.C. - Water safety is taking centre stage in Fort Nelson this week as the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality joins communities across Canada in recognizing National Drowning Prevention Week.
The municipality has proclaimed July 19 to 25 as National Drowning Prevention Week and is encouraging residents to take part in a series of activities aimed at promoting water safety awareness, particularly among children and families.
According to organizers, the week includes pool safety training, water safety education, family swimming programs and activities focused on responsible behaviour around water.
The campaign comes as concerns about drowning prevention have drawn renewed attention across British Columbia following several recent water-related deaths.
Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew has announced plans to introduce a private member’s bill this fall called the Child Water Safety Act.
The proposed legislation would establish a framework for a provincewide school-based water survival program aimed at ensuring children learn basic skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into water.
“National Drowning Prevention Week is an important reminder that drowning is preventable and that basic water survival skills save lives,” Dew said. He noted the proposal follows several recent drowning and water-related fatalities in British Columbia.
The proposed legislation would be based on three principles: ensuring every child has access to water survival education, establishing a provincial water survival standard, and providing equitable access regardless of geography, disability or family income.
The bill is modelled after Ontario’s Swim to Survive program, which teaches children how to roll into deep water, tread water for one minute and swim 50 metres to safety.
For residents of northeast B.C., where lakes, rivers and outdoor recreation areas play a major role in everyday life, water safety remains a year-round concern.
The Fort Nelson campaign emphasizes several key messages, including close supervision of children around water, avoiding alcohol while swimming or boating, and wearing lifejackets on the water.
Officials say the goal is simple: reduce preventable drownings and help residents stay safe while enjoying the region’s many waterways.