Plea for renewed focus on water safety
Waitangi weekend is the perfect time to get away with the family to the beach or the lake, but ACC is urging all Kiwis to take care around the water this weekend.
Data from Water Safety NZ shows 10 New Zealanders have drowned already in 2021, with four of those deaths occurring in the Waikato. There have been two in Canterbury and the other five deaths were in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Otago.
Nine of the 10 deaths were men, with four drownings happening at surf beaches, three at lakes, two at rivers, and one in a pond.
ACC injury prevention leader Kirsten Malpas says it is important to assess the risks and make smart decisions around water.
“We advise all Kiwis to choose a beach that is lifeguarded and to swim between the flags,” says Kirsten.
“It is tragic that there have been 10 New Zealanders drown already in 2021. We are urging all Kiwis to have safety front of their minds this Waitangi weekend.
“Our data shows there are still far too many preventable injuries and deaths in and around the water.”
Drowning is the leading cause of death in recreational activities in Aotearoa. There were 74 drowning fatalities in 2020, down slightly from the 82 fatalities in 2019.
“A drowning is a devastating event for any wha¯nau and community and these incidents are preventable,” says Malpas.
In 2019, ACC helped 27,891 people recover from injuries in and around water. That’s about 76 claims a day from people out enjoying activities like surfing, fishing and swimming.
Every year many New Zealanders get into trouble in rips — a body of water which is moving out to sea. The advice around getting out of rips is to follow the Three Rs Survival Plan.
“If you get caught in a rip, firstly relax and float to conserve your energy. Then raise your hand to signal for help, and thirdly ride the rip until it stops and you can swim back to shore or help arrives.”
ACC, Sport New Zealand and the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board fund Water Safety New Zealand, which works with communities to reduce the incidence of drowning and injury.
The Water Skills for Life programme helps kids learn how to assess the risks and make smart decisions around water.
In 2020, ACC helped over 200,000
Drownings in New Zealand in 2021
A drowning is a devastating event for any wha¯ nau and community and these incidents are preventable.
children learn water safety skills. Since July 2017 757,242 tamariki have completed the programme.
“We partner with Water Safety New Zealand on a range of injury prevention initiatives. These have been successful but there is always more work to be done. Knowing how to swim isn’t enough to save a life,” says Kirsten. “It’s about teaching lifelong water survival skills that cover a range of survival situations.”
Kirsten Malpas, ACC injury prevention leader