Saturday July 13, 2024 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Drownings and other safety accidents happen around lakes, rivers and pools in BC.
In light of a drowning last month at Langford Lake — and the city’s response to purchase and install some life rings and signage at various lake locations (two Langford residents also donated four life rings), Island Social Trends inquired with The Ministry of Education and Child Care as to the education component of lifesaving.
MECC started by saying that they are “pleased to see the action being taken by the City of Langford to make recreation areas safer for everyone”.
Though it should be noted that life rings are only a start. Equipment such as long poles to reach people who can’t grab for a ring at the surface would also be appropriate equipment at local lakes. Island Social Trends still awaits a reply from the Lifesaving Society and the City of Langford on this point.
More to the education point (and common sense):
Reports of drownings and other water safety incidents often tell sad tales of people who didn’t know what to do around water (e.g. wear a life jacket, don’t drink when operating a boat, don’t dive or jump in if you don’t know how to swim, etc).
A teen died at Thetis Lake last year — he had participated in cliff-jumping but didn’t know how to swim. Three 20-year-olds who drowned in the Sooke River in February 2020 were likely ‘puddle-jumping’ in their truck, according to the BC Coroner. In 2017, a 26-year-old woman attempted a jump off the cliff at Thetis Lake, slipped and fell headfirst into a rock bluff. She was left unconscious but was saved from drowning by the quick actions of friends and bystanders.
When people nearby to an incident have an opportunity to help, will they know what to do? Is enough taught about water safety basics as part of K-12 education so that people can avoid water-related safety issues in the first place?
Ministry of Education and Child Care:
We asked The Ministry of Education and Child Care as to whether students are required to take swimming and/or lifesaving techniques as part of any Physical Education (PE) curriculum in BC.
While they say that “learning to swim is an important lifesaving skill and the ministry encourages everyone who feels capable to take this training from a qualified provider”, they can’t mandate swimming lessons as part of education programming because “it has to be possible to deliver it to students across the province”.
“While swimming lessons are not a mandated part of the curriculum, some schools in B.C. incorporate swimming lessons into their education programming. For something to be a mandatory part of the Physical and Health Education curriculum, it has to be possible to deliver it to students across the province. Not all communities will have the required infrastructure to offer swimming lessons,” said a Ministry spokesperson.
In the BC Education curriculum, physical education is standardized for Kindergarten through Grade 9. For Grade 10 there is Physical and Health Education 10. For Grades 11 and 12 the options are Active Living, Fitness and Conditioning, and Outdoor Education.
Education credits:
Students can earn elective credits towards graduation in water safety through the External Credential Program, a ministry program recognizing learning outside of the K-12 curriculum offered by approved organizations, such as the Red Cross or Life Saving Society of BC & Yukon.
Other courses are available online that anyone can take.
Local rec centres:
This is where local community recreation facilities come into the picture.
“Local aquatic and recreation centres often offer swimming programs by certified instructors to children and youth of different ages and skill levels in partnership with their municipality,” the Ministry says.
Local community rec centres with pools on the west shore include Westshore Parks and Recreation in Colwood (owned by and serving Colwood, Langford, View Royal, Metchosin and Highlands) and SEAPARC Recreation Centre in Sooke (owned by the Capital Regional District). There is a YM/YWCA facility in Langford (with financial commitments by the City of Langford)..
Drowning prevention information:
The Province continues to support awareness and drowning prevention information, like: National Drowning Prevention Week (third week of July), and provides a statement on world drowning day: Minister’s statement on World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25, 2023) to further promote water safety.
The Lifesaving Society (for BC and Yukon) offers many levels of training for lifesaving, lifeguarding and first aid.
===== RELATED:
- Langford installs life rings at local lakes (July 6, 2024)
- Teenager rescued from Langford Lake has died (June 20, 2024)
- Langford Lake in-water emergency incident (June 16, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: LANGFORD | HEALTH & SAFETY
- MUNICIPAL WEBPAGE: Lakes in Langford