Open Water Wisdom is a community water activity safety program that was spearheaded by The
Royal Life Saving Society of Canada
The Royal Life Saving Society Canada, commonly known as the Lifesaving Society or LSS, is a Canadian registered charity that works to prevent water-related injuries through various programs across Canada. The Lifesaving Society is an independent ...
and The
Canadian Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross Society ()[drowning
Drowning is a type of suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where others present are either unaware of the victim's situation or unable to offer a ...]
, most especially in Canada’s remote northern, rural,
Aboriginal and coastal communities. This is partly because many of Canada’s communities sit next to open water and at most times of the year the water is cold. There are also indications that several cultural issues can contribute to higher drowning rates in some parts of the country.
In 2011, Lifesaving Canada and The Canadian Red Cross were given funding by The
Public Health Agency of Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC; french: Agence de la santé publique du Canada, ASPC) is an agency of the Government of Canada that is responsible for public health, emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic diseas ...
in support of the Open Water Wisdom initiative. In 2012, the campaign released several national radio Public Service Announcements about how to stay safe around open water during summer months.
Activities
The campaign has targeted over 250 communities across the country, with a special focus on youth 19 years of age or younger. Open Water Wisdomʼs activities are rooted in providing local community champions with
lifejacket
A personal flotation device (PFD; also referred to as a life jacket, life preserver, life belt, Mae West, life vest, life saver, cork jacket, buoyancy aid or flotation suit) is a flotation device in the form of a vest or suite that is worn by a ...
s and resource training kits about cold water safety issues. Local champions provide water activity safety training to their communities based on the materials and resources supplied to participating communities. The official objectives of the campaign are to:
* Reduce water related incidents and drowning rates and increase lifejacket usage among children and youth;
* Increase public awareness of risks and actions needed to prevent injury and death through drowning;
* Influence children and youth, families and communities to adopt behavior and practices that increase their safety in, on and around the water while participating in
recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
,
sport
Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...
and play activities;
* Engage communities and build capacity to sustain and facilitate ongoing access to education materials and lifejackets;
* Provide resources for children and youth, families, communities and professionals to prevent injury and drowning.
"About Open Water Wisdom,"
as posted by Open Water Wisdom
References
{{reflist
External links
Open Water Wisdom
The Canadian Red Cross
Lifesaving Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada
Public awareness campaigns
Maritime safety