“ye . i Terrace Review — Wednesday, July 17,1991 B7 EWARE DEATH BY WATER unaware that it is illegal to go out on the water without wear- ing a proper lifejacket. Not only can the RCMP lay charges, but also personal insurance may be- — come null and void if the life- : jacket is considered unsafe. Like » 2 everything else, they need regu- ee lar care. “They should not be . . left out in the sun, or ina wet _ place. And they shouldn’t be used as seat cushions. They should also be inspected for rips and tears before each use,”’ Toriglia notes. He adds that all too often peo- ple take a lifejacket with them but then don’t bother wearing it, mistakenly believing they will have enough time to slip it on if they find themselves in trouble. He points out that trying to put on a lifejacket in a panicky © situation is inviting disaster. Odds of survival are lessened even more if the accident hap- pens in cold water or water that is moving fast. Hip waders can also spell trouble if they are worn im- *€ WATER BABIES. One of the programs offered by the Terrace Aquatic Centre is water orientation for the very young. The sooner children become comfortable In the water the more likely they are to become competent swimmers. Royal Lifesaving Week emphasizes the responsibility everyone has to prevent deaths by drowning, and capable swimmers are not only less prone to drowning themselves but can also be more helpful in saving the lives of others in danger. Royal Lifesaving Week by Harriett Fjaagesund Few of us give much thought to water safety, yet drowning is the third leading cause of death in Canada. During Royal Life- saving Week, July 14-20, the Terrace Aquatic Centre is hold- ing several programs on water safety, including a junior resus- citation challenge, PFD (per- sonal floatation device) check, a hip wader workshop, and a cou- ple of sessions dealing with rescue aid (how to rescue a drowning victim without putting yourself in danger). Tony Toriglia, aquatics direc- tor at the centre, says these pro- grams will be of interest to everyone, not just those who regularly use the water, such as fishermen and boaters. ‘‘Ninety percent of the people who end up drowning had no intention of. using the water that day, it was all ‘unplanned.’’ Approximately 150 people die from drowning each year in B.C. and the Yukon, nearly twice the national average per capita, and nine per- cent of all deaths in the North- west are caused by drowning. how; 18, from 5 - 9 p.m. of Lakelse Lake. Just say "NO"! Orenda Mills plan to build a paper mill just south of Lakelse Lake. Does it make sense to risk the cleanliness of our main recreational area in the valley for the sake of another mill? If you and your children have enjoyed a day of fishing or swimming at the lake, get involved — here’s 1) Attend the public hearing at Mount Layton Hotsprings Resort, Thursday, July 2) Write or phone your MLA Dave Parker at 635-4215, your MP Jim Fulton at 638-1818 and the Regional District board representative for Lakelse Lake W.A. Sandhals at 798-2449. 3) Make sure you’re registered to vote in local and provincial elections. LAKELSE LAKE — LOVE IT OR LOSE IT! This notice has been paid for by the concerned residents He adds that in the Terrace area we must be especially con- scious of water safety all year round because we are surround- ed by lakes and rivers. “The number one thing is to enjoy yourself, but use common sense, too.” Toriglia points out that young children are especially vulner- able because they are fascinated with water. In 1989, the Con- sumer Protection Association in the U.S, announced that there have been 67 recorded deaths of small children falling head-first into buckets of water and drowning. Most of these deaths occurred with five gallon (20 litre) pails that had some level of water in them. The problem is that toddlers don’t have enough strength in their arms to push themselves up when they fall head-first in a body of water, and children need very little water to drown in, Leaving water in a backyard wading pool is courting disaster. The pool should be drained after -each use, as should pails. Rain barrels should have permanent covers on them. All pools (including hot tubs) should be surrounded by a child- proof fence, one that is at least five metres high and without footholds. Locks should be high enough that children cannot reach them. An even better system is what Toriglia refers to as a double barrier — an extra fence, a locked door or some- other type of barrier between the child and the pool may give parents enough time to notice the child is missing and intercept a potential drowning. Home pools in Canada are responsible for one half of ail drownings, In the United States, an estimated 260 children under the age of five drown annually in home pools and hot tubs. As for wearing a lifejacket, Toriglia says most people are properly or have a hole in them. The problem is that when they fill with water they can turn up- side down, forcing the fisher- man’s head and torso under- water. Always put the lifejacket on first, then the hip waders. If you do it the other way around it means you must first remove the lifejacket before you can get yourself out of the waders. And it doesn't take very long to ‘ drown. Jet bikes, which are now be- coming very popular, should be treated the same as a motor- cycle, Toriglia says. ‘“Wear a lifejacket and a helmut, make sure you can be seen at all times, and always travel in pairs.’’ Like drinking and driving, alcohol and recreational boating is a deadly combination. The vast majority of all boating deaths occur from small power boats, canoes and kayaks. Forty-seven percent of boaters admit to consuming alcohol while boating on privately own- ed power boats and sail boats; in §3 percent of all drownings from small power boats, the boater is significantly intoxicated; in 75 percent of the drownings of recreational fishermen from small power boats, the fisher- man is significantly intoxicated. 24kAnnual SUMMER SALE 50% OFF ALL SUMMER CLOTHING including dresses, shorts, Jantzen and Koret coordinates, Denise and Chic Petites, Blouses Wonderbra & Warner bras and bathing suits 4620 Lakelse Ave., Terrace, B.C. ph. 635-4550