Drowning and near drowning calls up in Renfrew County [Video]

It has been a dangerous and deadly summer thus far on Renfrew County waterways.

The paramedic service says within the last two months it has responded to 10 drowning or near drowning calls, which have resulted in three deaths – numbers that are higher than in years past.

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Nick LeRiche, Acting Deputy Chief of Operations with the Renfrew County Paramedics, says there is a consistent factor between many of the drowning calls they respond to.

“The similar factor tends to be not wearing a lifejacket.”

He says across the county there are over 900 bodies of water, and summer tourism brings more swimmers and boaters to the region.

“These calls are happening in all different scenarios,” says LeRiche. “They’re at pools, beaches, on large bodies of water, small bodies of water, shallow water, deep water.”

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