Summer is here, and its time to take the togs out and hit your favourite swimming spot.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death with preschoolers, making up 70% of childhood drownings, and 64% of hospitalisations for non-fatal drownings. Alarmingly, the number of children aged 1 to 4 that drown in New Zealand is twice as high as in Australia, and four times more than the United Kingdom.
Summer Splash Safety Tips
• Stay within sight and reach of your child, and maintain hand contact with infants when in, on and around water.
• Always drain the bath (and put plugs up high), paddling pools and buckets after use.
• Know your responsibilities around fencing for your home pool and spa.
• Enrol children in swimming lessons and water confidence classes.
• Children must always wear a fitting child’s lifejacket when on a boat.
• Learn CPR and First Aid.
• Designate an experienced adult swimmer to actively supervise children.
Useful Websites
The Water Safety New Zealand website provides excellent water safety educational resources, statistics, and good advice when in and around water in NZ.
Safekids New Zealand is the injury prevention service of Starship Children’s Health and a member of SAFE KIDS Worldwide, with the mission to reduce the incidence and severity of unintentional injuries to New Zealand’s children aged 0 – 14 years.
WaterSafe Auckland is recognised as the regional coordinating body for drowning prevention, water safety promotion and education. Their mission is to build a water safety culture through effective collaboration, education and promotion.
