Always swim with a Buddy! Lesson #1

Always swim with a buddy! Don’t go in the water alone, no matter how old you are or how well you can swim!

Play and swim at pools and waterfronts supervised by lifeguards.

If you see someone in trouble, call 911! Who can call? You Your buddy A friend A parent Another adult Lifeguard

Being safe in a boat! Everyone in the boat MUST wear a lifejacket that fits correctly! Check the weather before boating. Always tell somewhere where you plan to go boating. Do not stand up in a boat, especially when it is moving!

Who is the Lifesaving Society’s mascot? Buddy the Lifeguard Dog You can tell that Buddy is a Lifeguard Dog because he wears a lifeguard uniform – of course!

Water safety at home! Always drain the bathtub or small pools when not in use. They can be dangerous if someone slips and falls into one!

Check the Ice! Lesson #2

No ice is without some risk! Always have an adult check how thick the ice is BEFORE you go onto it! Measure clear, hard ice in several places to be sure it is thick enough!

Slushy or dark ice is unsafe! Ice should be at least 10 cm (4 inches) thick before you walk or play on it!

Do not go onto slushy or recently refrozen ice! Sudden temperature changes will cause even clear hard ice to start thawing. Stay away from ice that is recently refrozen, or is near moving water such as rivers and currents.

Avoid going on ice at night! Stay away from ice you don’t know. Do not go on the ice at night – you will not be able to see weak or thin spots!

Wear a special thermal flotation suit, or a lifejacket with your snowmobile suit! Wearing the proper clothes can increase your chances of survival if you do fall through the ice.

What do you do if you fall through the ice? Read the story “Don’t Break the Ice!” to learn how to help someone who falls through the ice.

Wear a lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Lesson #3

A lifejacket or PFD helps keep a person in the water at the surface.

A lifejacket is like a seatbelt! It should be worn to protect yourself if you unexpectedly fall overboard.

A lifejacket is more buoyant than a PFD! Lifejackets MUST turn an unconscious person face up – PDF’s DO NOT have to do this!

It is the law for every person in a boat to have a lifejacket or PFD that fits them!

Everybody should wear a PFD or lifejacket! If a boat tips over, you won’t have time to put your lifejacket or PFD on!

Non-swimmers or poor swimmers should always wear a lifejacket or PFD in the water!