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This article has been published 06/28/2017 (1601 days ago) the information it contains may no longer be current.
The province has no plans to increase funding for water safety programs for newcomers to Canada or hire more beach safety officers, Cathy Cox, minister for sustainable development, said Wednesday.
The minister discussed the review of a provincial beach safety program carried out after three people drowned in Manitoba’s parks last summer.
She recommends expanding the life jacket loan program, a watercraft lifeboat program at Birds Hill Provincial Park, and the creation of a park patrol checklist.
Jhonalyn Javier, 11, and David Medina, 12, drowned in Grand Beach Provincial Park on August 1st. Their bodies were found by rescuers in the designated swimming area. The two were friends whose families had recently immigrated to Canada from the Philippines.
On August 20, 22-year-old Jean-Baptiste Ajua, who had just become Canadian, drowned in Birds Hill Provincial Park. His family had come to Canada as government sponsored refugees.
Cox ordered the post-drowning check-up.
“If you listen to the Manitoba Lifesaving Society … they suggest that parental supervision is the best way to make sure children are safe on the beach … Guardians and parents should make sure – when children are on the beach and at the lake – ( that) it’s always within reach, “she told reporters at a press conference on the east beach of Birds Hill Provincial Park.
“The main reason we hired the beach safety officers is for educational purposes to educate individuals about how best to keep their families safe on the beach and in the lake,” she said.
“The English-language program provides beach information, maritime safety and water safety as part of their program,” said Cox, adding that there will be updated brochures and updated park signage to help new arriving Canadians.
Several recommendations were made, including updates to the public education strategy, but the department’s review found that safety standards are generally being followed. The review stated: “Individuals are responsible for themselves, their families and affiliated groups on all beaches in the provincial park.”
The review includes several recommendations for Birds Hill, including the inclusion of a zodiac for emergency and safety personnel, new marker buoys to make it clear which swimming area is in the boat’s patrol zone, and restricted access to the south bank.
This area “looks more attractive as the lake renovation and visitor access have increased significantly,” the report said, but notes that security guards are “equipped to manage swimming activities on the north shore only”.
Cox said it will cost $ 40,000 to implement changes at Birds Hill, including the lifejacket kiosk.
“We want to make sure that individuals are safe and that we are responding as quickly as possible,” said Cox. “(The boat) will work on the lake to ensure that swimmers do not go into restricted areas and provide faster (emergency) responses.”
The kiosk, which was stocked with 75 life jackets (a number is expected to double this summer), was open for business on a cloudy day in Birds Hill on Wednesday on a cloudy day. The concept of the honor system is based on a similar program in St. Malo Provincial Park, said Cox.
The perceived success of the Birds Hill loan program will determine how the province does it, she said. “We want to check that, see how it goes, and then we see if we can expand the program or not … If we find that it is used and beneficial, we could extend it to other beaches.”
Christopher Love, a coordinator for Public Education on Water Smart with the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba, said he is an advocate of the emphasis on public education.
“We think this is an important component in changing behavior and helping to keep people safe in the water,” he said.
The money spent on the new lifejacket kiosk, in-water markers, and more “seems like they would generally increase safety,” said Love, although it would be “very difficult” without the specifics of the beach’s operational plan. to say exactly how it would integrate. ”
The review also recommended creating a formal log to distinguish between bogus rescues and emergencies.
Between the drowning of the children on August 1st and the death of Ajua on August 20th, there was a false alarm – to prevent possible misunderstandings.
