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Kids learn to be water smart

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Aquatic supervisor Ashley Coombs leads children in drowning prevention activities at the pool on Wednesday. Sidney Cohen/NNSL photo

Knowing how to be safe around water is extremely important, especially in place like Hay River.

"We've got water all around us," Ashley Coombs, aquatic supervisor at the Hay River recreation centre, told a group of about 50 children at the pool on Wednesday.

Aquatic supervisor Ashley Coombs leads children in drowning prevention activities at the pool on Wednesday. Sidney Cohen/NNSL photo

"In most drownings, victims never even intended to go into the water," added Coombs.

Last week was National Drowning Prevention Week and children from the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre's Summer Youth Culture Camp, camp de jour, and Summer Heat, spent an afternoon at the pool learning about water safety.

"Besides a swimming pool, what are some other places that you visit that have water?" Coombs asked the campers.

"The beach!" said one child. "Lakes!" chimed in a few more. "A dishwasher!" said another.

Nodding in agreement, Coombs said this is why it is important to learn about drowning prevention.

About 500 Canadians die each year in preventable water-related incidents, said Coombs, referencing data from the Lifesaving Society.

"Even one drowning is too many."

After the brief presentation the children, who were roughly between the ages of 5 and 12, split into groups to visit different stations around the pool.

They heard that they should swim with a buddy, pay attention while near water ("Watch me, not your phone," read a poster at one station), and that they should always wear a life-jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) while boating.

Eleven-year-old Joshua Barnes said he learned not to dive in a backyard pool.

"It could be shallow and you'll hit your head on the bottom, which will cause a head injury and you'll drown from that," he said.

Barnes added that having supervision while swimming in a pool can help prevent drowning.

"I'm always safe," he said.

According to the Lifesaving Society, between 2011 and 2015, 16 people drowned in the Northwest Territories.

The lifeguarding organization says that in Canada, alcohol is a factor in 40 per cent of boating-deaths.

Ksydalg Henry, a supervisor with the Francophone camp, said nearly all her campers know how to swim.

"But it's good for them to learn more about what to do in case someone else doesn't know how to swim, or even if they come into a rough situation," she said.

Henry stressed the importance of wearing a life-jacket or PFD when on any kind of watercraft.

"I have two Sea-Doos and I always wear life-jackets on them because when you flip them, you're not thinking about swimming… it really is a lifesaver," she said.

The aquatic centre will soon become a boat test centre as well, said Coombs.

This means people will be able to buy study materials and write their boating license exams at the recreation centre.

Boaters must write the exam to get a pleasure craft operator card, a proof of competency document.

Transport Canada requires boaters to carry documented proof of competency.

Though the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are exempt from the proof of competency requirement, obtaining the card is still strongly encouraged.

Coombs hopes to start up the boat license centre by August.