Children should always be in arm’s reach when near water. That from Shelby Rushton, Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Lifesaving Society. She says in the last six weeks there have been four fatal drownings in the province of children 6 years and younger.

Three 6-year-olds have drowned in separate incidents, as well as a 2 year old who drowned in a Moose Jaw backyard pool just a few days ago. Of the six year olds, Rushton says one drowned in the Sucker River, one was at Makwa Sahgaiehcan, and one was at Tobin Lake.

The Saskatchewan Lifesaving Society says their latest Drowning Report shows 80 per cent of those who drowned in the five year period leading up to 2017 are male. And for the 20 per cent of females who drowned the most common drowning was by submersion in a vehicle due to accident.

The primary risk factors for adults include not having a personal flotation device, alcohol consumption, and swimming alone. And 100% of the time, the risk factor for children five and under, is supervision being absent or distracted.