by The City of Calgary
With summer finally approaching, the Calgary Fire Department is urging Calgarians to stay safe when enjoying our city’s rivers and lakes.
Each year, we respond to a lot of calls to help citizens on our waterways, so we have compiled some information to help you stay safe.
Always Scout, Assess, and Decide from shore before going on the water.
- Scout the waterway for potential hazards, and check weather and water conditions.
- Assess the level of danger and assess the swimming and paddling skills of your group.
- Decide if it is safe to swim, raft, boat, or paddleboard.
Bring the right supplies:
- Watercraft suitable for the body of water and conditions
- Properly fitting life jackets for everyone on board
- Water, hats, and sunscreen
- Cell phone to call for help in case of emergency
- A complete water safety kit
What’s In a Water Safety Kit?
Water safety kits are required on all types of watercraft, including kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, dinghies, inner tubes, and rafts.
Water safety kits should include:
- Water bailing devices to remove water from inside the watercraft
- A sound-signaling device (portable air horn, whistle, mechanical whistle, or bell) to alert others of your approach, or in case of emergency
- At least 15 metres of heaving rope, towing line, or floating line to help pull your watercraft to safety
- Waterproof LED flashlight and SOS mirror to call or signal for help in an emergency
