Drowning in disturbing data
A dive into disturbing statistics can help us understand what New Zealanders can do better in and around our waters, Jessica Long reports.
When liquid enters your lungs to restrict your breathing, you are drowning. It’s an experience about a third of Kiwis have had or know someone who has – that’s roughly 1.6 million people. Each year, about 107 people die as a result of drownings – about 82 of those are preventable.
This year alone, 64 have died as a result of a preventable drowning in New Zealand, with recreational-related deaths the leading cause.
And the statistics from Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) indicate that we are due to lose at least 40 more lives before the end of this year. WSNZ has been working to tackle the issue head-on through its Water Skills For Life Givealittle page with a goal to have the programme reach every Kiwi child.
LOSS OF LIFE
Most preventable drownings come with a warning, a reminder and a message for the public to learn how to stay safe on our waters.
‘‘This information may, if brought to public attention, reduce the chances of the occurrence of other deaths in circumstances similar to those in which these deaths occurred,’’ coroner Carla na Nagara said.
The words came after the death of a 23-year-old who was trying to save his brother and a friend caught in a rip at Makorori Beach, Gisborne, during heavy surf.
Paul Wakelin was setting a fishing line on an early January morning in 2015 when his brother John, 19, was swimming with a friend. The pair were in waist-deep water but were caught in a rip. They called out for help and Paul went in to save them.
Surfers came to their aid but by that time both Paul and John were face-down in the water, unresponsive. They soon disappeared beneath the waves. Their friend was helped to shore.
The surf conditions were heavy with waves of two to three metres.
‘‘Rips are also a major problem along our coastlines and every year around 80 per cent of rescues are the result of someone getting caught in one,’’ the coroner’s report said.
DROWNING PROBLEM
We lose children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, cousins and friends to preventable drownings every year. But people under 24 years old and men are over-represented in those deaths.
Last year seven infants died as a result of drowning – a ‘‘tragic year’’, the WSNZ annual report said.
Since 2008 the highest cause of death was accidental immersion – where 255 people died by ending up in the water unintentionally. That’s compared to 162 people who were killed while swimming.
The same statistics show that of the 834 people who have died in the last decade, 688 were men and 146 were women.
WSNZ says drowning is people’s biggest concern after child abuse, domestic violence, road safety and bullying, and is the third-highest cause of accidental death in New Zealand after car crashes and falls.
While summer for most Kiwis will mean sunshine-filled days, time spent with family and friends, outdoor activities and cooling off in the water, these months also have the highest number of drowning-related fatalities.
Our biggest problems include over-estimating our abilities, under-estimating the conditions, lacking precautions such as wearing lifejackets and safety equipment, panic, inexperience, alcohol, and not having the basic water skills to survive.
DIFFERENT STROKES AND FOLKS
New Zealand has a diverse and growing population, says WSNZ chief executive Jonty Mills. The demographic has been changing as people migrate to the country and take up parts of Kiwi culture, which include play in the water.
‘‘It’s our playground, it’s who we are. It’s also a big factor in why people come to this country.’’
The individuals who are overrepresented in the drowning deaths toll should be targeted, Mills says.
‘‘So that’s Ma¯ ori, Pacific Islanders, new migrants. Those people that are most vulnerable.’’
As our population has grown, it has changed the shape of our suburbs and where we live.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLS) chief executive Paul Dalton says that has meant where people choose to swim has also changed.
While there are 80 core SLS locations in New Zealand to help keep us safe on the water and that expands to about 92 during peak seasons, there is a need for more.
Key places of need included Pakiri, and Goat Island, both north of Auckland; and Papamoa East, Bay of Plenty, where the town has spread down the coastline.
‘‘Where people are swimming is changing, particularly the key growth areas like Auckland and Bay of Plenty. We need to move to where the people are.’’
FINANCIAL DROUGHT
New Zealand needs to change four things now: funding, the national curriculum, behaviours toward the water, and aiding minority groups overrepresented in data, Mills says.
Change could start with secured funding for frontline rescue services such as Coastguard New Zealand and Surf Life Saving New Zealand, he says.
Most funding for those organisations comes from grants and fundraisers, corporate sponsors and ‘‘gaming-related sources’’. Although not directly funded by government, the organisations do receive grants through various ministries.
‘‘Water Safety New Zealand together with key water safety agencies have met with relevant ministers in relation to the pressures the sector is facing. Discussions are ongoing to work out the best way to ensure the long term sustainability of the water safety sector.’’
It’s been almost a year since Surf Life Saving Northern Region chief executive Matt Williams called for the Government to treat surf clubs as fully funded emergency services.
Williams said in January that his 17 clubs, which supervised more than 500,000 beach-goers last year, received ‘‘zero’’ direct government funding despite providing an ‘‘essential service’’.
There were concerns over deteriorating clubrooms and that volunteers being stretched to keep up with demands – with the northern region in need of an estimated $12 million annually to keep up with essential costs.
Dalton says conversations with the Government over the second half of the year have led to a show in support for a longterm monetary solution.
Results from the Government’s inquiry into the frontline
service was expected within sixmonths, he said.
While there were no promises SLSNZ would begin a totally government-funded future, there was ‘‘an appetite to look at it’’.
‘‘Full-funding is probably not on the cards, but at least any kind of additional support would be great for us, depending on what area it’s pointed at.’’
It would mean the service would not have to fight against ‘‘27,000 other good causes’’.
Every child should leave school with basic, water safety skills but a national standard in aquatic literacy is needed for our curriculum, Mills says.
The Government sees it as a lower priority, with Ministry of Education early learning and student achievement associate deputy secretary Pauline Cleaver saying the curriculum identifies aquatic skills as ‘‘an important area of learning in health and physical education’’.
She says schools’ boards of trustees could decide to fund programmes like Water Skills for Life. ‘‘We don’t mandate particular programmes for schools to use but can support schools to make choices about which programmes or approaches are most likely to meet their needs.
‘‘Learning about safety in and around our beaches, lakes and rivers is an important skill for all New Zealanders – especially given we have one of the longest coastlines in the world.’’
She says schools are given annual operation grants which could be used to fund swimming pools, or provide access to a community pool.
‘‘Schools can also use their five-yearly property funding for pool maintenance and upgrades.’’
However, in the past five years, about 165 school pools have closed and about 135 are at risk of closing because of health and safety or maintenance costs.
The country has seen a downturn in schools’ access to aquatic education, with about 75 per cent of schools not able to provide the minimum recommended lessons for students, according to a WSNZ study.
While the number of schools that provide aquatic education has slowly crept up since 2001, the time spent on lessons has reduced by three to four hours each year.
CALL TO ACTION
Mills says if we continue as we are, our drowning fatality toll will never change. ‘‘So we need to change things. We need to do things differently and we need to address the problem. It starts at the grassroots, it starts at education.’’
That’s why Water Safety New Zealand has set up a Givealittle page so it expand the reach of Water Skills For Life – a programme built to tackle ‘‘the drowning problem’’ headon.
With the public’s help it’s hoped every child in Years 1 to 8
will have access to an aquatic education. Dominion Post
editor Eric Janssen says water safety is essential, which is why Stuff and Water Safety New Zealand have joined forces to give more Kiwi children the chance to have a lifesaving education. New Zealand, a country surrounded by ocean and laced with rivers and lakes, has an ‘‘appalling rate of drowning’’, Janssen says.
‘‘Some are unavoidable tragedies, but the vast majority are preventable, and it is shocking that so many New Zealanders do not have basic water skills to help themselves if misfortune arises. And that needs to be sorted.’’
WHERE YOUR MONEY WILL GO
Survival comes down to people’s water skills, says Mills, and that’s where the Water Skills For Life programme comes in.
The organisation has worked with experts to build a national standard that sets young people up with the tools they will always need. Learning to swim is not enough, he says.
The money raised will be spent on ensuring as many primary school children as possible learn Water Skills for Life.
Every $50 reaches one child to help them learn these essential skills. To help make our waters safer for everyone donate via Water Safety New Zealand’s Givealittle page.
STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE
■ Always swim between the flags at a patrolled beach.
■ Don’t over-estimate your or your child’s abilities.
■ Never swim alone. Watch for rips – calm, deep patches of water close to shore with breaks either side; and rippled, discoloured or foamy water with debris/sand.
■ Be smart around rocks.
■ Wear a lifejacket while fishing, never stand on a rock that’s already wet, never turn your back on the sea.
■ If in doubt, stay out of the water. Be aware and don’t panic – New Zealand’s water temperatures are cold and can cause our bodies to go into shock where people can gasp, swallow water, burn energy and quickly lead to fatal drowning.
■ Spot someone in trouble? Don’t dive in to help, but dial 111 and ask for the police.