National Drowning Prevention Week was just a couple of weeks ago but the Kelowna RCMP are issuing a reminder to all residents and visitors to be extra vigilant when on Okanagan Lake.
The warning comes after the RCMP were called to rescue two paddle boarders who became stranded on the lake during a windstorm on July 26.
When police arrived, they found the two people clinging to a buoy on the north side of the William Bennett Bridge.
Fortunately, they were both saved and no injuries were reported.
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“We were fortunate that one of the paddle boarders was able to call 911 and that neither sustained injury, despite not being equipped with any safety gear, including lifejackets,” said Cpl. Michael Gauthier with the Community Safety Unit.
“The situation could have ended in tragedy.”
The RCMP’s warning also comes after data was released at the end of July that confirmed Okanagan Lake remains to be BC’s deadliest lake with 28 drownings over the past 11 years.
Police remind all water activity enthusiasts that they are required to have certain safety equipment when heading out onto the lake.
Transport Canada requires paddle boarders to have a life jacket, a buoyant heaving line, a device like a whistle and a watertight flashlight if on the water after sunset or before sunrise.
The Kelowna RCMP clarifies that if you are wearing a lifejacket that fits properly, you only need a whistle and the flashlight.
Cpl. Gauthier says the RCMP encounter hundreds of paddle boarders each summer but only about 10% are ever equipped with the proper equipment.
“Weather conditions on the lake can shift rapidly, turning a peaceful paddle into a sudden scramble for safety—or, in more serious cases, a rescue operation or subject to fines,” he said.
