Australia Day Weekend Scorcher Poses Threat To Children
Thursday, 25 January 2018 10:08
Kidsafe
Kidsafe Victoria today said
the weather forecast for scorching temperatures in the high 30s and early 40s
this long weekend could prove fatal for children left unattended in cars.
Kidsafe Victoria General
Manager, Jason Chambers, said, "the temperature inside a parked car can be
20-30 degrees hotter than outside - on a typical summer day, the inside temperature
can reach a deadly 60 degrees in a matter of minutes."
New figures from Ambulance
Victoria show that Paramedics were called to 225 incidents involving children
left unattended in cars during December 2017 alone.
"If you are heading out on a trip with the children and you have to leave
the car, always take them with you. It could save their life," said Mr Chambers.
Toddler drowning is also
high on the agenda with thousands of BBQ's and pool parties expected to be held
across the State over the long weekend.
"Toddlers can drown
quickly and silently which is why it is so important that they are actively
supervised by an adult in and around water - this means having an adult within
arm's reach at all times."
"Backyard pools are the most common location where toddlers drown. At parties
and celebrations with lots of people around, adults can sometimes think someone
else is watching the children around the pool, when in fact, nobody may be supervising
them," said Mr Chambers.
Kidsafe Victoria's summer
pool party safety tips:
Take 15 minutes to check
the safety of your pool barrier to ensure it is safe and in proper working
order.
Children require active
adult supervision around water at all times. For toddlers, this means having
an adult within arm's reach. If you have to leave the water area for any reason,
take the children with you.
For backyard BBQ's and
pool parties, it can be a good idea to appoint a designated supervisor or
supervisors to keep watch of children in and around water. This role can be
shared throughout the day so that everyone can enjoy the festivities.
Never prop the pool
gate open - it might seem like a convenient idea to prop the gate open to
allow people easy access to carry things like food and drinks into the area,
however this can also allow children easy and often unsupervised access to
the pool area.
Toddlers can drown in
as little as a few centimetres of water, so be mindful of other potential
drowning hazards including esky's with melted ice, inflatable/portable pools,
buckets and even pet's drinking bowls.
Keep sun safe by following
SunSmart's 5 steps - Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide!
Learn CPR and update
your skills regularly. Resuscitation posters kept near pools are a good reminder.
For more information on
Kidsafe Victoria's 'Safe Barriers Save Lives' campaign and child water safety,
please visit https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/water-safety/pool-fence-safety
Kidsafe Victoria's
summer travelling tips
Never leave children
unattended in a car. If you have to leave your car, take your children with
you.
Make a 'look before
you leave' routine whenever you get out of the car, to make sure nobody gets
left behind.
Consider travelling
during the cooler hours of the day where possible.
Provide plenty of cool
fluids and water throughout the journey.
Dress children in lightweight
clothing.
For more information please visit https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/road-safety/hot-cars
Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Kidsafe Victoria - Mobile: 0417
329 201