This holiday weekend, enjoy the water, but do it safely and responsibly.
That message comes from an OPP spokesperson, in light of two suspected drownings in Renfrew County last weekend.
Cons. Mike Mahon says police want people to enjoy the water. But the recent drownings, he says, have devastated some families and taken an emotional toll on rescue workers, too.
He says safety starts with planning ahead.
“When you’re going out on a boat, or to fish or tour around, we want you to take that extra second to say, ‘oh, do I have life jackets for everyone? Are they wearing them, especially children?’”
“If you’re out having a good time, you’re sometimes not paying close attention to children and, next thing you know, they’re gone.”
Mahon also stressed the importance of not drinking alcohol while boating.
He says it presents the same dangers as drinking and driving on roads. He adds OPP boats are patrolling waterways this summer and enforcing safe boating practices.
**Written by Stephen Petrick