The NSW Ambulance service has made a number of releases recently in their drive to improve drowning awareness and prevention. Back in December we posted an update on NSW Ambulance responses to near drownings. If the figures in that post shocked you……..
Then the latest update on the NSW Ambulance responses to drowning or near drowning incidents will simply horrify you.
They are reporting a 10% increase in the overall number of responses to near drowning incidents this summer, and summer is not over yet.
For the month of January alone the NSW Ambulance service responded to 162 near drowning incidents, up from 75 incidents in January 2010.
So whenever you and your children are near water…PLEASE take care and remember the four key points to drowning prevention for young children
- Supervision
- Restricting Access to the water
- Water familiarisation/learn to swim
- Learning CPR
- Always look out for rips and swim between the flags, obey instructions from the lifeguards.
- If in a river, dam or backyard pool, check the depth before jumping in.
- Children should never be left unattended in the bathtub or wading pool, even if they are with an older child, it only takes a few seconds for a child to come to harm.
- Take pool toys out when finished in the pool, so little children can’t be tempted to try and get at them.
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