WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS
LAW ENFORCEMENT & WATER RESCUE
From coast to coast to coast, Canada is blessed with extensive water resources that have helped the country flourish and given Canadians a wealth of recreational opportunities. Whether it’s ocean ports, the large population centres on the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence, the cottage country of the Muskokas and Laurentians, the prairie cities straddling swift-flowing rivers, or suburban areas dotted with ponds and swimming pools, Canada is built on and alongside water.
But where people and water mix, accidents will happen. Every year, several hundred Canadians die from accidental and preventable drowning. In addition, there are hundreds more non-fatal drownings that cause emergency room visits, hospitalizations, disabilities, and other negative and costly health outcomes. Tragically, many of these drownings involve children aged nine years and younger.
For the emergency service workers tasked with responding to drowning incidents and injuries, each second could mean the difference between life and death. They cannot wait for a specialized water-rescue team: first-responding front-line officers need water-rescue equipment readily available so that they can quickly act.
Law Enforcement agencies should equip their officers with dependable water-rescue equipment that’s designed with this urgency in mind. The personal flotation devices (PFDs) and water rescue kits from Mustang Survival can give Law Enforcement agencies confidence that their officers can quickly and safely intervene in water-related emergencies—and save lives.
“In drowning situations, every second counts, and a fast-acting police officer with proper water-rescue equipment can make all the difference between life and death.”
DROWNINGS IN CANADA
Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death worldwide, with only unintentional poisoning (such as drug overdose) and motor vehicle accidents causing more accidental deaths. According to the Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition (1), approximately 460 people fatally drown in Canada each year, with many more suffering non-fatal injuries. In Ontario alone, each year there is an average of 164 deaths, 100 hospitalizations, and 568 emergency department visits from drowning (2).
The majority of fatalities due to drowning occur on natural bodies of water and 10–20% in swimming pools. With Canada’s all-too-short summers, it’s no surprise that approximately 70% of drownings occur between May and September. In Ontario and Quebec, drownings most frequently occur during aquatics (30%), boating (20%), and unintentional falls into water (15–25%). The most common risk factors for drowning are not wearing a PFD, alcohol consumption, and being alone in the water. Children are particularly at risk of drowning due to a lack of understanding of the dangers of water, inability to swim, smaller lungs, and poor coordination, with the greatest risk factor being absent or distracted supervision.
Why Law Enforcement Needs Water-Rescue Equipment
Despite how common these water-related emergencies are, many Law Enforcement agencies lack immediate access to rescue equipment to intervene in time to save the lives of people drowning.
Even among skilled swimmers, in cold water swim failure can occur in as few as 10 minutes (3). Once swim failure occurs, someone drowning will struggle to keep their airway clear of water before submersion and breath-holding begins. Within seconds, the person drowning will then begin aspirating water and become deprived of oxygen. Absent oxygen, unconsciousness occurs followed by cardio-respiratory arrest. This whole process can happen within minutes, with the possibility of irreversible brain damage occurring within 4–6 minutes of submersion. Hospitalizations and permanent disabilities are very common from drowning. In drowning situations, every second counts, and a fast-acting police officer with proper water-rescue equipment can make all the difference in outcome.
Because of these serious consequences, the costs of drowning incidents, both fatal and non-fatal, are enormous. In 2018 alone, drownings cost Canada $191 million. A small investment in outfitting officers with water-rescue equipment can greatly reduce these costs and the liability of Law Enforcement agencies.
It’s crucial that Law Enforcement officers have accessible and reliable equipment, not only to save other people’s lives, but to ensure their own safety. It is common for well-meaning rescuers to also face drowning risks from attempting rescues without a PFD and other appropriate water-rescue equipment. With the proper equipment at hand, these risks can be eliminated.
Equipment Recommendations
The most essential piece of equipment for water rescue is a Personal Flotation Device. PFDs keep officers safe and afloat while they attempt a rescue. Mustang Survival‘s line of Law Enforcement PFD’s, such as the Compact Tactical Life Preserver or the Heavy Duty Law Enforcement HIT Inflatable PFD, feature their award-winning Hydrostatic Inflator Technology (HIT).
PFDs with hydrostatic inflators have several advantages for Law Enforcement. They only activate when submerged under 10 cm (4 in.) of water, preventing accidental inflation due to humidity, rain, or water splashing over the vest. Hydrostatic inflators require actual water pressure to activate. In contrast, other PFDs use bobbin (salt-tab) inflators that can deteriorate over time and prematurely dissolve, especially in humid environments, leading to accidental inflation or a failure to deploy. Hydrostatic inflators also have a longer service life than salt-tab inflators. A salt-tab inflator needs replacing every 1–3 years whereas Mustang’s HIT inflators have a much longer 5-year maintenance interval—meaning fewer replacements and less-frequent servicing.
A convenient way to provide officers with everything they need to perform a water rescue is to equip Law Enforcement vehicles with Mustang’s Water Rescue Kit (MRK110). This kit features a M.I.T.100 Inflatable PFD, a Rescue Stick™ to stabilize someone who is drowning and provide 35 lb of buoyancy, and a throw bag to safely retrieve the person being rescued. The kit is easily portable and housed in a heavy-duty, drop-tested, impact-resistant, air- and water-tight protective case.
For more than 55 years, Mustang Survival has been a leader in water safety, and Canadian Law Enforcement agencies can trust their products to help officers stop drownings and save lives.
QUICK FACTS
WHY your agency should INVEST IN WATER RESCUE EQUIPMENT
- Roughly 9% of Canada’s surface area is covered by water — more than any other country in the world
- 460 Canadians drown each year — that’s more than one drowning every day
- 70% of drownings happen between May and September
- Swim failure can occur in 10 minutes, with irreversible brain damage beginning within 4–6 minutes of submersion
- Mustang’s HIT Inflatable PFD inflate only when submerged with 4" of water pressure, reducing the chance of accidental inflation due to splash, humidity or rain
- Mustang's Water Rescue Kit fits in a compact, drop-tested case (15” x 13” x 7”) and includes a PFD, Rescue Stick™, and throw bag — essential tools for immediate water rescue
RAMPARTCORPUSA.COM