The Canadian Safe Boating Council is expanding upon their "Cold Water Boot Camp" information series and they want to hear from you.
There is a strong focus in the boating community about the importance of safety. And while that generates some guffaws from some salty boaters, the reasoning is simple and necessary: boating comes with inherent risks, and it falls upon the responsibility of each boater to protect themselves and others.
Boating is not the same as our roadway system where public services like police, EMS, and hospitals are within easy reach. Out on the water, you're typically far away from life saving resources, which makes the need for responsible boating more important. Smart boaters are vigilant, and vigilance saves lives.
The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) is organizing several helpful resources for boaters to educate them about the realities of water immersion. Regardless of the water temperature, boaters should understand the risks associated with the shock of an accidental immersion. Not only are you invited to participate, they'd also like to hear from you.
The CSBC is hosting an in-person experience series in Georgina, Ontario, as well as a series of online seminars where boaters can learn about the dangers of water immersion. While previously the CSBC has offered the 'Cold Water Boot Camp' this new project focuses on the 'Shock Factor' of water immersion at any temperature. Participants in the experience sessions will learn valuable skills about water immersion, while those looking for an online webinar series are able to sign up for a two-part workshop. All online workshops will cover the following topics:
✔ Understanding the Myths Around Cold Water Immersion and Hypothermia
✔ How Our Bodies React to Heat and Cold Stimuli
✔ 4 Ways Our Bodies Lose Heat
✔ What Happens to Our Bodies When Immersed in Cold Water
✔ Immersion vs. Submersion in Cold Water
✔ Cold Water Survival and Thermal Protective Clothing
✔ Basic First Response…When You’re The Only One Who Can Help!
✔ The Decision to Stay or Swim When You’re on Your Own
1) Online Webinar Training
The online 'Cold Water' workshop series will be offered from October 2022 to March 2023. Each workshop consists of two sessions, on a Tuesday and Thursday, and will run from 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Eastern time. The cost of the workshop is $100 and participants will receive a certificate of completion. The full online schedule offering is as follows:
1) Tuesday, October 4 & Thursday, October 6
2) Tuesday, October 18 & Thursday, October 20
3) Tuesday, November 22 & Thursday, November 24
4) Tuesday, November 29 & Thursday, December 1
5) Tuesday, January 10 & Thursday, January 12
6) Tuesday, January 24 & Thursday, January 26
7) Tuesday, February 7 & Thursday, February 9
8) Tuesday, March 7 & Thursday, March 9
9) Tuesday, March 21 & Thursday, March 23
To sign-up for a workshop click here.
2) In-Person Simulated Exercises
For boaters interested in helping CSBC with research if you live within Ontario or are willing to travel, the CSBC is conducting in-person 'Shock Factor' experiences in Georgina, Ontario during November and December 2022. They are looking for adventurous boaters who are willing to be participants in simulated experiences. Candidates should be active boaters, male and female, who are operators or passengers when boating (or both). Candidates must be 18-40 years of age, in good health, and willing to participate in simulated boating exercises or scenarios. Each exercise lasts for about 60-90 minutes.
The Shock Factor project puts an emphasis on the risks of accidental immersion and will change boaters' perceptions about wearing a lifejacket. Boaters will be shown how any accidental fall overboard can result in drowning and how best to prepare themselves and their crew for any potential scenario while onboard. Through a series of experiences, the CSBC in partnership with Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht will conduct research with volunteers by subjecting them to a series of surprise situations. Their physical reactions will be measured, recorded and shared with boating safety groups and the general boating public. The results will help to make participants and readers more aware of the risks of accidental immersion into water of any temperature.
Full details for the upcoming in-person sessions are available on the CSBC website.
3) Share Your Story
Lastly, we want to hear your stories! Many boaters have experienced a close call during their time on the water, and each event offers lessons for the boater involved. Those lessons can be amplified by telling your story. Have you or someone you know had an accidental immersion? Was it cold water or warm water? What was your attitude towards lifejacket wear before your experience? Has it changed your viewpoints about it after? Sharing is learning, and by creating a community of interest we can help fellow boaters across Canada learn through other’s stories to further our efforts in making our waterways safer and more enjoyable!
To share your experience go to csbc.ca/boating-stories
To learn more check out:
