With summer around the corner, the onus goes on water safety and being secure while taking a dip.
Invercargill City Council aquatic services manager Stephen Cook said a near drowning incident involving a 4-year-old girl at a pool in Invercargill last month was preventable with the right water safety education.
In response to the near-drowning incident where CPR was required on the child, Splash Palace is working with Drowning Prevention Auckland to offer specifically tailored free water safety courses to the community.
Mr Cook said although there was a positive outcome to the incident, it was never nice to deal with those situations.
"It is something that can happen anywhere, so we want the community to have the opportunity to learn something that they can’t access normally," he said.
"If it helps save a few lives, then it helps save a few lives doesn’t it."
Mr Cook said incidents at Splash Palace involving younger children ending up out of their depth when following friends were most common and would require a dry rescue.
Last year, there were two drownings in Southland which was a decrease on the 10-year average of 3.2 deaths per year, Mr Cook said.
Between 2012 and 2022, only 6% of fatalities were from swimming.
Mr Cook said 88% of water-related deaths in Southland were male and fatalities were commonly caused by craft including boats and jet skis followed by falls, fishing and underwater activities.
"Kiwis have this attitude of ‘she’ll be right’ and you’re all right when you’re on a boat and things like that but it’s not until you get into trouble that you realise that’s the wrong attitude to have."
More people were learning how to swim in Southland with about 700 registrations per term for swimming lessons at Splash Palace, in comparison to only about 500 pre-Covid, Mr Cook said.
The community loved to get in the water but it was important to stay vigilant and to support children who were only just learning to swim, he said. The proactive, free workshop would give parents, caregivers and swimmers tips on how to stay safe in and around the pool and other bodies of water, how to recognise and rescue someone in trouble and how to administer first aid.
"Accidents can happen at any time but we want to ensure everyone has the best knowledge to assure that when accidents do happen, we are suitably prepared."
Drowning Prevention Auckland aquatic research educator Josh Carmine will host the workshop in the First XV Lounge at Rugby Park, Invercargill, on Thursday, December 7, at 4pm.
It would run for an hour and a half, and all were welcome.
People can RSVP to the event by emailing bookingsandevents@splashpalace.co.nz
