Rash of drownings leads to renewed focus on water safety

A view of Reservoir Pond courtesy of George T. Comeau

A new bill aimed at promoting water safety and discouraging dangerous swimming amid a recent surge in drownings across the commonwealth could soon lead to ramped up enforcement on at least one Canton water body, but vigilance and good decision-making in all water settings remain key, according to the town’s top emergency response official.

“In a town like Canton with mostly small ponds, there’s really no regular, active enforcement on the bodies of water here,” noted Fire Chief Charles Doody. “There are no patrols; no one has any watercraft that’s stationed out on the water. You have Reservoir Pond, which is town owned and is an area that we try to keep an eye on. Then you’ve got places like Ponkapoag Pond [in the Blue Hills Reservation], which is DCR-managed property, and the state would be the enforcement authority there.”

Under the legislation filed last week by Governor Charlie Baker, ponds such as Ponkapoag would begin to see at least some “enhanced enforcement” measures carried out by the State Police and Mass. Environmental Police in an effort to deter unlawful swimming, and violators would be subject to a fine of as much as $500. As it stands, swimming is not permitted at Fisherman’s Beach — the waterfront abutting Temple Beth David — and is only allowed at the Ponkapoag AMC camp during daytime hours when a lifeguard is on duty (fees apply).

“Swimming at undesignated waterfronts is dangerous and too often leads to tragic consequences, and this legislation is part of a comprehensive plan to discourage risky behavior and ensure the safety of visitors to our state parks and beaches,” said Governor Baker. “While we encourage all to visit our beautiful coastal and inland beaches, we urge the public to exercise caution and not swim at any body of water that has not been designated for swimming by state or local authorities.”

In his statement announcing the proposed legislation, the governor mentioned another nearby DCR-managed water body, Houghton’s Pond — which is also located in the Blue Hills Reservation and does allow swimming in designated areas — as one of the select locations targeted for new safety signage. Lifeguards are on duty at Houghton’s Pond from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day in July and August, and there are restrooms, a concession stand, a first-aid station, and a playground on site. Parking is also free.

As for the town-owned reservoir, Chief Doody acknowledged that while he cannot order people to stay out of the water, he urges extreme caution for anyone who chooses to swim there.

“It’s almost the exact same situation as in the wintertime, where I always advise people that the ‘only safe ice is in an ice rink,’” he said. “Really the only safe places to swim are places that are staffed by lifeguards, like the town pool. But if you choose to swim in areas that aren’t monitored, A.) you should be a strong swimmer and B.) you should have an understanding of the body of water you’re going to be swimming in.”

The Canton Fire Department recently disseminated a list of water safety tips, and one of the points of emphasis was that people should never try to rescue someone from the water unless they are trained in water rescue. Instead, they should call 911 immediately if they believe that someone may be drowning.

Chief Doody referenced a recent tragic incident in Brockton in which two cousins, ages 12 and 13, both drowned after one boy fell in the water and the other boy went in after him in an effort to save him. Authorities said they were skipping stones and neither boy knew how to swim.

Just last week, a 19-year-old drowned in Pleasure Bay in South Boston after swimming too far from shore, and his 20-year-old brother had to be rescued by emergency personnel.

In all, there were 18 drownings in Massachusetts in May — more than the previous three Mays combined—plus another 10 drownings in June, along with several other near-fatal incidents. Many of these cases involved extensive search and rescue operations, in some cases spanning several hours and involving multiple local and state agencies.

Doody, who has been involved in several such operations as an incident commander, said that searching for a person in the water is both physically and emotionally taxing and can feel like “you’re looking for a needle in a haystack.” Still, he said the Canton Fire Department will use every resource at their disposal and “won’t hesitate” to call upon regional and state assets, such as the Mass. State Police Air Wing or the Quincy Police dive team.

“Until credible information exists that you located the person, it’s very difficult to stop searching,” he said. “We’ll utilize everything available to us to find someone.”

Doody said the department also conducts water rescue training every June at Reservoir Pond using the CFD’s two rescue boats. “We deploy the boats onto the reservoir and we simulate getting to a victim,” he said. “We use different types of equipment — marking equipment so we can mark the last known location, ropes and rescue rings. We practice every spring in anticipation of the busy summer months.”

But while the Fire Department is both equipped and professionally trained to respond to water emergencies, Doody said the reality is that a drowning can happen within minutes, which is why proper safety precautions are a must whenever a person plans to be in or around a body of water.

Doody added that pool safety is “huge” as well — a fact that has been underscored by several fatal drowning incidents in backyard swimming pools this year. He said it is critical that pool owners ensure that their pools are properly fenced and have an access gate that self-closes and locks, and children should never be left unattended around a pool for any length of time.

“One hundred percent eyes on at all times,” he said. “And I don’t think there’s a magic age [where you stop monitoring them]. If you’re a parent and you’re bringing your child to a pool or a body of water, know where they are at all times. It takes literally a matter of seconds to get into trouble and start to drown.”

Doody said Canton is fortunate in that it has a brand-new town pool complex that is staffed at all times by lifeguards. Located on Bolivar Street, the pool is currently open for public swimming and season passes are available for purchase (Canton residents only) either online at cantonrec.com or at the Parks & Recreation Office.

For a list of summer water safety tips courtesy of the CFD, visit www.thecantoncitizen.com.

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