Keep alive this summer

Press, 28 December 1987, Page 15

Keep alive this summer

Drowning is the second most common cause of accidental death, and more than 85 per cent of boating fatalities are due to the victims being unprepared. They drown because they do not wear lifejackets, or they are thrown into water under 20 degrees Celsius, or they were drunk. Sometimes all three. With a coastline longer than that in the U.S., New Zealand has always had its share of boating and swimming fatalities, but now that figure has become unacceptably high. The sad thing is that these accidents do not just happen. They are arranged. People still persist in boating in cold water conditions with no knowledge of hypothermia. They still consider boating and alcohol make an unbeatable team, and most would not be seen dead in a lifejacket. Usually they get their wish. The dead are rarely, if ever, found in a lifejacket. Putting children in lifejackets while not wearing one yourself is only a marginal improvement. If you all end up in the water and you drown, your child will die of hypothermia while bobbing about waiting for help. Statistics show the odds are definitely in our favour when we get out onto the water. Only 30 people from approximately 100,000 will die this summer while boating. Cold comfort if you happen to be one of the 30. Water safety is not just for those boating, however. It is for anyone and

everyone. Children are a special problem of their own near water. Their bodies move much faster than their brains, and they often end up in situations totally beyond their control. The New Zealand Water Safety Council makes no bones about children and water. “Protect the Lives of UnderFives” is a constant theme in its on-going safety campaign. The average two to four year old can jump into, get pushed, fall or climb into water faster than you think. Barriers are often just climbing frames and latches just a small puzzle to work out on the way to the water. The New Zealand Water Safety Council says the only sure way to protect the lives of these children is to watch them. This applies even when a pool is fenced, the sheep dip covered or the lid is on the water tank. Five centimetres of water and two minutes. That is all it takes to drown a small child. When it comes to water you can forget all you hear about something being childproof. There is no such thing. The ingenuity, determination and sheer persistence of a small child set on achieving a coveted objective is unbelievable. Constant, uninterrupted watching is the only sure way to keep them safe. You may be one of the lucky ones who can get away with being careless around water for years and years. Or you may have years and years of misery from a few careless seconds. It is up to you.