Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) Saves Lives

Life Jackets (PFD) Aren't 'Kid's Stuff'

Three local men nearly paid with their lives for not having or wearing personal floatation devices. If it had not been for the heroic efforts of others an evening of drinking and boating could have turned out very badly.

The RCMP report:

Heroic efforts by two Nanaimo residents prevented disaster in the freezing waters of Diver’s Lake on Monday night.

Although the temperature on Monday night was warm, the waters of area lakes, and rivers are not. Three males were out for paddle on Diver’s Lake around 7pm when their canoe overturned and the men entered the freezing water. The men quickly got into trouble and two bystanders had to help pull the men out of the lake as the effects of hypothermia were quickly setting in.

Sarah Young, a 20 year old Nanaimo resident, jumped into the water and swam out to one of the men who was in particular distress and in the process of going under. Another bystander on the shore, 28 year old Keene Anderson, who had been fly fishing with an inflatable fishing tube, saw what was happening and also entered the water. With his fishing tube, he assisted Young return the drowning man to the dock. Anderson then floated out to the two other men who where then clinging to the submersed canoe in the middle of the lake and brought them to safety with this fishing tube.

The canoe had no safety devices in it and the men were not wearing personal floatation devices and had been drinking.

The men, ages 32, 22, and 23 were examined by Emergency Medical Services at the shore, and two of the men were transported to hospital for treatment of minor hypothermia. The men will be receiving violation tickets for Failure to Wear a Personal Floatation Device.

The Nanaimo RCMP again urges the public to use caution and common sense around area rivers and lakes particularly at this time of year. “Water temperatures that are near freezing are extremely dangerous to anyone who is submersed. Even if you are a strong swimmer you will quickly become incapacitated due to the water temperature and will soon find it difficult to even hold your head above water. Wearing personal floatation devices are particularly important when boating on cold water - it’s the only thing that will save you from drowning should you unexpectedly end up in the water”, said Cst Sue Phillips, media spokeswoman for Nanaimo RCMP.

Transport Canada reports that almost 90% of the 180 Canadians (on average) who die every year in boating incidents were not properly wearing a lifejacket or PFD. Nearly 70% capsized or fell overboard from a small open boat.

According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada:

Without a PFD, death by drowning can occur within 3 to 5 minutes due to cold shock, or within 30 minutes as you become unable to swim. Even with a PFD, hypothermia can kill after 30 minutes, and post rescue collapse can occur after rescue.
Cinches and buckles on thermal protective PFDs restrict the flow of water and increase your survival time. Do them up! Use a multi-layered approach to insulating yourself against the marine environment. Avoid fibres such as cotton. Materials like polypropylene, and in some cases wool, provide good insulation.