July 2025 & Water Safety
Updates
Happy July! June ended with quite the bang! You may have seen some of our doctors and staff at the waterfront festival during the Canada Day weekend. Rotarians Dr. Johnston, Dr. Leguard and Dr. Hubbel all worked at the Rotary HarbourArts Tents over the weekend. Louise, Carolyn, Julie, Karen and Debra volunteered to help relieve some of the vendors in the Rotary Artisan tents. This year was a great success for the Rotary and Lions Clubs as well as the Town of Cobourg. Our weather was great and it was nice to see so many community members and guests in our town enjoying the festivities and the fireworks on Canada Day. After 9 years of being involved with the festival, Dr. Johnston will be chairing the 2026 Cobourg Waterfront festival. The beautiful photos you see were taken by our friend, Karen Truter.
Dr. Johnston and Carleigh’s children will be hosting a Lemon-AID stand on Sunday July 27, in support of the Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation. They hope to raise some money for our amazing hospital and learn a little about operating a small business. Let’s hope they serve yummy lemonade and treats! Stay tuned for more information around the office if you would like to come by or donate to them. Last month Louise and her husband, Chris, had a wonderful 2 week getaway to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They took their trailer to camp along the way and their 13 year old lab, Abby. They got to enjoy some real down east lobster for the first time!
Looking ahead - our doctors will be taking some summer vacation. Dr. Leguard is heading out East with her partner Nathan in mid-July and Dr. Johnston is off the last week of the month, heading to Thunder Bay in northern Ontario for an extra long weekend.
Spending Time on the Water? Make Sure you Float!
Rumour has it that Dr. Johnston (so Alexandria and Isla) have a new pool… So we’ve been talking about water safety recently, and we realize that as we live in a beach town and close to cottage country, people in our community are usually very comfortable near water. This can be a good thing, but sometimes confidence makes us complacent in terms of making safe choices.
Why should I wear a life jacket? A Canadian approved standard lifejacket, when worn properly, is designed to turn an unconscious person from face down to face up in the water, allowing them to breathe. Even if you know that you are a good swimmer, if there is a risk that you could fall, hit your head, or get into an accident while near the water, wearing a life jacket would be a good idea. Wearing a colour easily seen through the water is also a good idea - so make sure to wear bright coloured clothing/bathing suits for visibility purposes!
How can I pick a lifejacket for me (an adult)?
The standard lifejacket is keyhole style and comes in two sizes - one for people who weigh over 40 kg (90 lbs), and one for people who weigh less than 40 kg (90 lbs). These are mostly seen on cruise ships and not at cottages. They are very functional, but not as comfortable.
More commonly, people use Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), which are great, depending on the activity. They are less bulky and more comfortable than a standard keyhole lifejacket, but are not appropriate for all activities, as they are less inflatable and have limited ability to turn an unconscious body face up.
Inflatable PFDs automatically inflate when immersed in water, or are inflated by the wearer using either an oral (blow-up) or manual inflation device (like pulling a cord). They are only appropriate if the wearer is 16 years or older and weighs more than 36 kilograms (~80lbs). These pose different risks, as many times, the wearer is not able to inflate the PFD if they are unconscious or otherwise compromised in the water.
How can I pick a lifejacket for my kids?
It is important for children to use life jackets and PFDs that are specifically designed for a human of their size. Important things to look for when finding a life jacket include: Canadian approval labels detailing the appropriate chest size or weight, a large collar (with a grab strap) for extra protection and support to the child’s head, and a jacket in bright colours (yellow, orange or red are best). In Canada, there are no approved flotation devices for children weighing 9kgs (20 lbs) and under. Transport Canada recommends that you wait until your child reaches 20 lbs before you go boating with them.
Final thoughts
We all know, wearing a life jacket can seem cumbersome and unnecessary, and we often gravitate towards life jackets that are less bulky and more comfortable. Weigh your risks when choosing a life jacket, and always ask yourself “would the life jacket I pick be able to turn me upright and keep me floating if something were to happen?”.