Instructor urges people to be safe, get swimming lessons amid a spate of local drownings

It's never too late to increase swimming safety and your ability as a swimmer in general.

That's the message of swimming advocates as the community reacts to what has become a deadly summer for swimming in our region.With the drowning of a swimmer in Leamingtonlast weekend, at least five people have died in local waters so far this season.

"Every swimming death is a tragedy," said George Turnbull, area chair of the Lifesaving Society of Ontario and the Municipality of Lakeshore's aquatics team leader.

"There's always opportunity to further your swimming education, so taking swimming lessons for yourself as an adult, or registering your children for swimming lessons, is one of the most important steps to preventing injury or death."

"We're in a community that's fortunate to have water access, and many opportunities for swimming. So everyone should learn to swim and we can teach them."

Turnbull's not certain how this summer's swimming deaths compare to previous years in Windsor-Essex but the Lifesaving Society tracks national numbers. Between 2010 and 2020, yearly drowning deaths in Canada ranged between 428 and 495.

Less than 10 per cent of those deaths happened in pools. At least 67 per cent happened in open water settings, such aslakes, ponds, rivers, and the ocean.

"Swimming in a pool, many factors are known," Turnbull said. "You can see the bottom, you can estimate the depth, you can see where the closest point of safety is."

"In an open water setting, there's many variables that you can't control or are not aware of. Sometimes they're hidden... You don't know if there's a current or a riptide in that area."

Jeff McEwan, manager of recreational services at St. Clair College, including pool facilities, reckons that abouthalf the general public in Windsor-Essex have strong enough swimming ability to survive if suddenly put in water that's deeper than their head.

But he'd like to see that figure improve.

"Everyone should learn how to swim. Especially living (in an area) surrounded by Great Lakes," McEwan said.

"You must learn how to swim. You need to learn how to float, you need to learn how to tread water... It's never too late. And I've seen a lot of progress over the years with adults, which is awesome."

According to Essex County OPP, the deceased in last weekend's drowning was a 46-year-old man who entered the water off the Leamington Pier.

He wasn't the first death at that location this summer: In late June, OPP reported that a 32-year-old man also went missing after swimming off the pier. His body was recovered two days later.

In May, two men drowned while swimming in the area of Windsor's Sandpoint Beach.

That same month, Lakeshore OPP found the body of a Michigan man who had gone swimming in Lake St. Clair.

Like Turnbulland McEwan, Essex County OPP spokesman Steven Duguayfeels that caution should be first in mindwhen in the water even for those with swimming skill.

"Always treat water with respect, because it can surprise you," Duguay advised. "Always have a buddy system, but also know what your limitations are... Even though you think you're a strong swimmer, if the conditions aren't right, then stay on dry land."

Windsor residents rank their swimming ability

"Four out of 10," 17-year-old Emmy Chamberlain said when asked to rate her own swimming ability.

"I'm not a very good swimmer... I never got treading water down. I don't understand how people tread water."

Sean Holmes, 19, was more confident.

"I feel I'd be able to live," he said."We have a 'Swim to Survive' program with our education system."

Michael Jimenez, 23, sayshe's done plenty of swimming in local waters, including off the Leamington Pier.

"I did my lessons as a kid and I wanted to be a lifeguard," he said. "I know how to float, I know how to get across. My stamina is pretty good."

Madelaine Genna, 27, says she thinks being able to swimis so necessary that she paid for private lessons for her six-year-old daughter Annie Pasquadibisceglie.

"There's a lot of lakes around us, and if you ever go on vacation... You just need to learn," Genna said.

For her part, Annie saysshe can swim "really well. Because I love swimming, and I feel like I can do it."