Time for swimmers to stop and think
There were 93 preventable drownings last year – the highest since 2008. Community Education and Events for Drowning Prevention Auckland team leader Harry Aonga talks about what we can do to stop these deaths in Auckland.
OPINION: I love coming to work every day to serve my community and my people. It’s a real honour and a responsibility I take seriously.
You never forget the bad days. Former Warriors league player Sonny Fai’s family always comes to mind.
His drowning at Bethells Beach in 2009 was devastating. I remember it clearly. When he drowned it had a huge impact on so many people.
I show videos of that time as an educational tool to highlight the impact of a drowning. It breaks my heart.
They never found Sonny’s body. For Pasifika families, it is hard to mourn that loss if they haven’t found the body. It’s a moment they will never forget, and the pain will stay with them forever.
Unfortunately, Sonny’s death wasn’t a one-off. From 2018-2022 there were 85 preventable drownings in Auckland, 15 were Pasifika (18%), and all were male. Half of Pasifika drownings in New Zealand during this period happened in Auckland.
ACC Tips for water safety
■ Don’t overestimate your ability
■ Don’t underestimate the conditions
■ If in doubt, don’t go out
■ Watch your children at all times when you’re in and around water
■ If your child is young, always keep them within arm’s reach
ACC supports Water Skills For Life. Learn more: waterskills.org
In February, we did something about it. We teamed up with ACC to take their ‘‘The Thinker’’ statue to Kariotahi Beach, on Auckland’s West Coast.
I have never seen anything like this and I applaud the initiative from ACC. ‘‘The Thinker’’ was a real talking point. It was there to challenge people to take a moment and think about their safety.
We know Kariotahi Beach is beautiful and a popular place for swimming – but it’s also a dangerous beach where swimmers often get caught in the rip.
We encouraged people to not overestimate their ability or underestimate the conditions, to stay close to their children at all times, and how to identify a rip and what to do when you get caught in one. It was great to take injury prevention to the people in a high-risk area.
For Pasifika people, the common risks are boating and swimming. If you’re going fishing and it’s not ideal conditions just go home and do it another day. It’s not worth it.
A lot of Pasifika people don’t know what a rip looks like. At places like Piha or Muriwai you see big waves, and they head towards the calm spot. We know that is the most dangerous place to swim.
We need to work as a collective. Our drownings statistics show we are not learning as a nation.
We still get into too much trouble in, on and around the water. We are working together to address that. We need our communities to know that we care for them, and we are working for them.
At the end of the day, we want everyone to go home safely to their families and loved ones.
Before you go to the beach or out on the water, think: Am I swimming in the right place? Are my kids safe? Am I doing the right thing?
And make sure your kids get the chance to learn ACC Water Skills for Life – the programme teaches valuable survival skills. It could save their life.