STAYING SWIM SAFE

With Julie Sheldrake

NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE & EVA BORY’S SWIM SCHOOL • 4730 8900

Drowning remains the number one cause of accidental death in Australia in children under five years of age – it can take just 20 seconds for a child to drown, as another tragic summer break has proven. Most children who drown in home pools, fall in by accident.

Tragically, eight children in total have died during the holiday period, and we’ve lost 26 people in total to drowning over the holiday period, including two on Christmas Day itself and another on Boxing Day. While the numbers are lower than the same time last year, it is still 26 people too many.

Royal Life Saving Summer Safety Campaign: Creative Concepts Poster

On December 29, three-year-old Issac Powell died in a next-door neighbour’s pool in Perth. The little boy’s family had just moved in, and while his Mum readied the house for a family get-together, the little boy made his way next door via some broken boundary fence panels. I can’t begin to

14 died in a boating accident in Tamworth, NSW on the same day. Supervision, checking pool fences and gates and knowing CPR are also lines of defence to protect the lives of our loved ones, but learning to swim is key. I cannot stress strongly enough that now is the time to get your children enrolled in swimming lessons if they are not already learning to swim. We live in Australia, where the water is an intrinsic part of our lifestyle, and bodies of water are everywhere. The sooner a child is able to get themselves to the side of the pool after falling in, the better.

Swimming lessons must be a non-negotiable part of a child’s routine, from six months of age, until they have reached the recommended swimming milestones, which will, on average, take most of their pre and primary school years if swimming once a week, all year round. Teaching your child to swim is giving them

Royal Life Saving is urging men to take extra care around the water, with constant evidence that it’s blokes who are most at risk of drowning incidents.

Royal Life Saving’s ‘Make the Right Call’ campaign encourages all Australians – especially males – to look after their mates to keep each other safe when enjoying the country’s beautiful inland waterways. Inland waterways claim more lives than any other location, accounting for 40 per cent of all drowning deaths in Australia.

Royal Life Saving Chief Executive Officer Justin Scarr said there were three key things men could do to make sure they get home to their loved ones safely at the end of a great day out.

“The biggest single factor is alcohol. If you’ve had a few drinks, your coordination levels drop and you lose your inhibitions,” Scarr said.

“In more than a quarter of all drowning deaths in inland waterways over the 10 years to 2020/21, the person who drowned had a blood alcohol content reading of more than 0.05 per cent.

“If your boat tips, a wave hits you, or the conditions change rapidly you need to be able to think clearly and quickly, and your reflexes and coordination needs to be at their best so you can get yourself to safety.

“Leave the booze until safely away from the water, look out for your mates and pull them into line if they’re under the influence and thinking about doing something reckless near water such as swimming or boating.

“Lifejackets can make the difference between life and death. With the modern, comfortable design of lifejackets which doesn’t inhibit your recreational activities, there is really no excuse not to wear a lifejacket.

“The third safety tip is not to go alone. Whenever you’re on, in, or near the water having someone with you to help in the event of an emergency is vital. There are so many factors we can’t control – medical incidents, submerged items, sudden changes in the conditions. Having a mate to help improves the odds of getting home.”