With two reported near-drownings in the Whitsundays over the school holidays, there has never been a more important time to learn swim safety tips to keep your child protected when having fun in the water.
Swim Australia recommend the following:
• Be Aware: Lack of supervision has been found to be responsible for 70 per cent of drownings according to a Royal Life Saving Society Australia report. Maintain constant visual, be within arm distance from children under five, do not be distracted by your phone or answer the door. When in groups do not assume someone else has their eye on your child, organise a ‘watch system’ with friends and do not leave your post.
• Be Secure: Check and maintain barriers. Make sure your pool fence meets standards, ensure it is never propped open, remove all items that could be dragged over and used as a ladder to scale the fence.
• Be Confident: Get regular swimming lessons for your child to be confident in the water. Water familiarisation at a young age, learning how to float on their back so they can call for help, adapt to changing conditions such as no goggles, floaties, turbulent water. Practicing all these life-saving skills can increase the chance of survival. Also teach your child not to go near water without an adult.
• Be Prepared: If a child is missing, check the pool and other water hazards first as every second counts. Learn how to conduct CPR and always have a phone nearby so you can call an ambulance.
The best protection for your child is regular swimming lessons which have been proven to reduce the risk of drowning in children by 80 per cent.
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