Drownings up as skills tested
A long-running water skills safety course is now teaching more than 1000 Taranaki children a year to gain confidence in the water.
Each week, groups of year 6 children from nearly 40 schools in the region undertake a threestage water safety programme at the Todd Energy Aquatic Centre, co-ordinated by New Plymouth District Council.
NPDC aquatic programmes director Blair Haase said the fully funded course taught a range of skills, including treading in deep water, using a lifejacket, jumping from a height, and righting a capsized boat.
The programme follows Water Safety New Zealand and Coastguard safe boating guidelines, he said.
‘‘We try to teach the children how to use anything which is available near to them if they are thrown out of a boat when it capsizes.
‘‘This may be using a bike helmet or lunch box for flotation, or throwing a rope to someone.
‘‘There are also lessons on how to use a locator beacon, boat radio or setting off a flare.’’
The programme had gained increasing support since it was established in 2010, he said.
The start of Water Safety Month coincided with a group of 48 Bell Block Primary School year 6 pupils undergoing the programme at the Aquatic Centre on Tuesday.
Teacher Rachael Stanton said the children always looked forward to the week.
‘‘It is not compulsory to attend but we get very few children opting out,’’ she said.
The programme is invaluable as many of the children live close to the beach, or rivers, she said.
So far in 2019, 57 people, including 18 recreational boaties and six children aged under five years old, had drowned, well up on the total number of 66 water-related deaths in 2018.
In 2018 there were only four boating-related deaths.
As a result the Safer Boating Forum launched the new initiative with 24 boating and water safety organisations including Maritime NZ, Coastguard NZ, Surf Life Saving NZ, Water Safety NZ, Drowning Prevention Auckland, harbourmasters, the Marine
Industry Association and many recreational organisations.
Water Safety Month is designed to get people thinking about preparing before they go in, on or around the water.
It is being run in conjunction with Maritime NZ Safer Boating Week in the run-up to Labour Day Weekend, when many boaties get back on the water after winter.
The theme of the safety programme is ‘prep, check, know’ – prep your boat, check your gear and know the rules before getting back on the water.
There are other programmes to help keep safe, including Coastguard NZ’s Old4New Lifejacket upgrade.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand promotes swimming between red and yellow flags on a lifeguarded beach as well as the three Rs – Relax and float, Raise your hand and Ride the rip.
The Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers also has courses.
Water Safety NZ invests $2 million annually in drowning prevention programmes focusing on Water Skills for Life training in primary schools.
It is also investing in Ma¯ ori drowning prevention and regional water safety strategies in the high risk areas of Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.