Drowning is almost always preventable.

July 19-26 is National Drowning Prevention week – a week dedicated to reducing the number of water-related fatalities and near drowning incidents by raising awareness of safety around lakes, pools and rivers.

As temperatures remain high across our region, many people are hitting the water to keep cool. Interior Health would like to remind the public that it’s important to be safe when in, near or on the water. More people die from drowning in the Interior region than in any other area of the province.

So far this year, there have been 25 deaths in B.C. due to accidental drowning, 15 of which have occurred in the Interior