Boating, Safety & Emergencies

Another summer will fast be upon us. And with that should come thoughts as to what we can do to protect our little pieces of paradise. Here are some of the basics that you really should undertake to protect your property, and more importantly, your family and guests. The fire season is starting earlier, lasting longer and is more intense. Wildfires can spread at an astonishing rate. Forest fires can speed through a crown of trees at 15 kilometers per hour. Remember that while wildfires can be a natural phenomenon started by lightning, 90% of all wildfires that start within 3 kms of our communities are attributed to human activity. The best protection against loss, damage or injury is prevention. But there are also things you can do to reduce the risk should a wildfire occur. The FireSm

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) kicked off the 2021 boating season on Georgian Bay, opening their seasonally operated Search and Rescue Lifeboat Stations in Tobermory and Meaford on April 9. The CCG Auxiliary units are also getting up and running but are not at full strength yet. The Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) stations located at Brebeuf Island and Britt have begun training their crews and will be operational for the Victoria Day long weekend. You can contact the Coast Guard 24 hours a day/7 days a week by calling 1-800-267-7270 or via marine VHF radio use channel 16. GBA suggests saving this number in your phone in case of emergency. CCG also wants to remind everyone that the water remains very cold at this time of year and a greater level of care is necessary when boating. Wearin

Two recent fatal snowmobile incidents have OPP warning people that no ice is safe ice and snowmobilers should stay off frozen waterways and closed trails. According to the OPP, six people have lost their lives in snowmobile accidents so far this season. Most recently, on January 17, three people died in separate incidents after their snowmobiles broke through the ice on Georgian Bay. - OPP statistics show that over the past ten years more than 40% of snowmobile fatalities have occurred on lakes and rivers. Excessive speed, driving too fast for the conditions and alcohol or drug impairment are also significant factors in OPP-investigated snowmobile incidents. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) said a mild winter makes it particularly important for snowmobilers to regularly

The OPP is using the internationally recognized app what3words in all provincial call centres to direct first responders to precise locations for faster and more accurate emergency response. what3words has assigned a unique three-word tag to every three squared metres on the planet. By giving the 911 dispatcher the three words for your location, they can convert the tag into proper coordinates, pinpoint exactly where you are, and direct help. This tool is proving particularly useful in helping OPP officers locate parties in remote and forested areas where signal is limited and on vast waterways. Internet connectivity is not required to use the app. Only a cell signal and location services enabled on your phone are needed. Even if you don't have the app installed on your phone, the call

As the first weekend of the provincial Stay at Home legislation lockdown begins, members of the Southern Georgian Bay detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) want to remind all persons who do venture outdoors that area ice surfaces may be snow covered and appear safe to travel on. Unfortunately, locally we have not had the kind of cold weather required for the formation of ice required for winter activities so if ice travel is necessary please check with local residents and fish hut operators before heading out on any ice surface- Know Before You GO. Detachment officers will be on snowmobile patrol this weekend checking for impaired snowmobile operators as well as for proper equipment, permits and monitoring riders speed while on the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada between 25 and 30 Canadians die in ice-related incidents each year and many more have to be rescued. As the weather gets colder, it is enticing to want to venture out onto the ice. It is important to remember that the most dangerous time to be on the ice is in early winter and late spring when the ice can be less stable. If you are going out on the ice: always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return know the waters under the ice you will be on - depth and currents can impact the thickness and strength watch the weather, as temperature fluctuations and precipitation may soften the ice avoid slushy ice, untracked ice or ice near moving waters or dock bubblers The following is a list of 10 Ice Saf

As Canadian winters are becoming warmer, new research suggests that youth are particularly vulnerable to winter drownings. In a recently published study looking at stats across 10 countries, children under the age of 9 made up 44% of the winter drownings that did not involve a vehicle. In cases with vehicles, such as snowmobiles, most of the deaths were in those younger that 24 years old. - The research found that most of the drownings occurred when the temperature was between -5 °C and 0ºC and often included other factors that can weaken ice such as freeze-thaw and rain events. Read more here.

Drownings in Lake Michigan reached a new record high in 2020. According to Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit that tracks drowning statistics, there have been 97 drownings in the Great Lakes so far in 2020. 53 of these occurred in Lake Michigan, 9 in Lake Huron, 2 in Lake Superior, 15 in Lake Erie and 18 in Lake Ontario. The previous record for drowning fatalities in Lake Michigan was 49 back in 2019. There is speculation that this uptick may have been caused by closures during the pandemic. Read more here.