Kent Driscoll and Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 01/05) - Cold water and a boating culture have given the Northwest Territories a dubious title. Per capita, the NWT leads Canada in accidental drowning.

There were four boating-related deaths in the NWT last year, according to Jack Kruger, RCMP search and rescue coordinator for the territories.

It's the law in the territories that every person in a recreational vessel must have some kind of lifejacket.

Natasha Beaubien (left) insisted, so her boyfriend Dan von Allmen wears a lifejacket. He has been boating for 12 years and this was the first day for him in a vest. What to look for in a PFD Canadian Coast Guard Approved protection from hypothermia allows for easy body movement fits properly and is easy to put on or take off - Source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

But there is no law stating individuals must wear them, and many don't.

"They sit on their life jackets because it's comfortable," said Kruger.

Some, including Kruger, want use of safety vests made mandatory.

It depends on the weather

Bill St Germain is among those who uses his lifejacket as a backrest.

"It's up to the individual, it's a free country after all," said St Germain, who has all the proper safety gear - two survival suits and four lifejackets - stowed away.

"It depends on the weather," said St. Germain. He has never fallen in the water and is optimistic that it won't happen to him.

"If there were four foot waves, then I'd have it on," said St. Germain, as he looked over a placid Yellowknife River.

Dan von Allmen is wearing his safety vest for the first time ever.

"I started today, but only because my girlfriend wants me to," said von Allmen.

He promised to follow his girlfriend's wishes, but doesn't think the government should force him.

"Making people do it is stupid. It should be common sense, like seatbelts," said von Allmen.

Natasha Beaubien, his safety-conscious girlfriend, said "these waters are cold, you never know."

Black, blue... and dead

Wayne Gzowski has recovered 45 drowning victims in his years as district manager for Arctic Divers. "I can remember every one," said Gzowski.

"We're lucky in fresh water," said Gzowski. "They're black and blue in the fetal position. In saltwater the shrimp get at them and they're pretty bad."

Most of the bodies he recovered were not wearing any kind of lifejacket. Gzowski always wears his.

"I do a lot of canoeing and I always wear a floating vest and I also have a floating jacket," said Gzowski.

Paul Falvo and his wife Christa Domchek helped save three capsized boaters last June 28.

The three youths they helped were not wearing their safety equipment.

Falvo is a volunteer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

"We consider it an emergency anytime anyone falls in the water," said Falvo.

When he came across the three boaters, "we didn't see any PFDs at all."

They helped one of the victims into their canoe, but feared for their own safety.

"We couldn't have brought two more panicky kids into the boat," said Falvo.

Luckily, Falvo didn't have to watch the two drown. He had a radio and called for help.

Todd Burlingame heard the distress call and arrived moments later in his Zodiac.

"My wife fell in once without her jacket and she still talks about it. Her body froze up, it was like paralysis," said Falvo.