Environmental Services — July 30, 2010

OPG Safety message is clear in any language: Stay Clear! Stay Safe!

TORONTO, July 30 /CNW/ - Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is reminding people to celebrate safely when they are near hydroelectric stations and on the water this long weekend and is doing so in a wide range of languages.

"We want to add our voice to the message that you can't be too safe when you're near water. To help get that message out we translated our Stay Clear! Stay Safe! ads into a number of languages and have partnered with The Lifesaving Society of Canada to make sure their overall message gets out to a wide audience" said John Murphy, OPG's Executive Vice President Hydro.

Murphy noted that from May to July 20, 45 people drowned in Ontario, including 13 children. This is an increase of 10 per cent over the same period last year.

"None of these occurred near our sites, but these grim statistics show that it only takes a minute to turn a holiday into a tragedy," he said.

OPG's popular water safety TV ads have subtitles in French, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. Print and radio ads in Northern Ontario are translated into Ojicree. OPG has also partnered with The Lifesaving Society of Canada to provide boating safety tips in 33 languages.

"We did this because new Canadians or visitors to Canada are often unaware of the risks associated with boating or fishing near power dams," Murphy said. Water levels can change rapidly and often without warning when operators open gates to generate electricity.

OPG manages the water levels and flows on many rivers and lakes based on water management plans approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources. These plans try to balance the needs of various interests including recreational users, and wildlife while also providing water to create clean energy, he added.

Cottagers, campers and boaters can contact their local water management organization for more information, or go to:

www.opg.com

OPG provides a variety of water safety materials, including a brochure and DVD at www.opg.com/watersafety

The English ad is at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyXQ4bag5ik

For further information: OPG Media Relations, 1-877-592-4008 or 416-592-4008

Print | Email