Hot Week puts Water on the Safety Agenda

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Kidsafe

As temperatures are set to soar to over 40 degrees this week, Kidsafe Victoria has urged parents to focus on water safety while the children are home on school holidays. Babies and toddlers in particular need to be supervised vigilantly around water in the backyard swimming pool, at the beach and around rivers and dams in country areas.

 

Melanie Courtney, Executive Officer of Kidsafe Victoria said, "For families with backyard pools, it's important that children wait until there is an adult present before going for a dip. It's also not appropriate for older children to be left to care for younger siblings/ cousins/ friends in the pool.

"Children can drown silently in just 20 seconds- it only takes a few centimetres of water. We are urging all parents with pools or visiting homes with pools or spas to make sure that an adult maintains constant supervision of their children near water," said Ms Courtney.

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Australian children under 5 years of age. Statistics released earlier this year from Life Saving Victoria, show that during the 12 month period from July 2012 - June 2013, 3 Victorian children aged 0-4 years drowned in backyard swimming pools.

Water safety tips:
  • Visit www.kidsafevic.com.au to access LifeSaving Victoria's pool safety audit
  • Make sure the pool gate is fully operational
  • Appoint a supervisor for the pool party
  • Keep children in the pool within arm's reach
  • Make sure that children enter and leave the pool safety
  • Ensure adults know how to perform CPR
  • Always have adults supervising activity; do not leave older children in charge
  • Do not leave the pool area to answer the phone
  • Be organised to make an emergency call
  • Never prop the pool gate open
  • Media Enquiries:
    Ron Smith, Media Communications, Kidsafe Victoria - Mobile: 0417 329 201