Ottawa firefighters have performed approximately 60 water rescues so far this year, with most calls occurring on the Ottawa River.
A swimmer in distress in the Ottawa River is just one of the scenarios Ottawa fire water rescue crews prepare for. From stranded or capsized canoers, kayakers, boaters, people in distress, to near drownings, crews perform regular training exercises.
"Recently though, unfortunately, we do have an uptick in unfortunate negative events that we’ve had. We’ve had a couple of drownings, and we’ve had people that have required extensive rescue.""We’re asking people to be aware of the water. So know where you are, understand how it works and try to gauge your skill set," Guillemin said.
"Lifejackets come in all types of different sizes and shapes. People need to have one that fits properly, that’s comfortable for the activity that they’re doing," says Sean Duffy, area chair with Lifesaving Society - Ontario Branch.
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