As an aquatic educator I strongly recommend everyone reads these reports every year to remind them of the serious nature of water. Remember you cannot role back the clock once you’re in trouble and for many they become part of this sad annual report. 100% water safety is my goal with all my swimmers.
I will do what I can to prepare my swimmers to be strong enough to have a fighting chance in any situation and to learn to be smarter in and around water hazards. The saying failing to prepare is preparing to fail is at the forefront of every session and swimmers should approach every training set knowing the most important outcomes for their efforts are:
i) potentially give you the strength & skills to save your life
ii) increase your potential in everything you do
iii) improve your race times
It is sad as an Australian and a professional aquatic educator to see the statistics have increased the past 7 years in a row. I guarantee that every person swimming with me is constantly reminded each session about doing their best and the importance of staying alive. I treat water safety extremely serious and I seldom meet anyone else who practices the most basic water safety skills outside of a standard safety week at most swim schools across the country. What makes anyone think that performing something once per school term is going to reinforce a life saving skill? Practice makes perfect seems to be the best method.
Not having the ability to get out of the water – It’s a pet hate of mine. Watching people who are tired or lazy using stairs and ramps to exit a public pool frustrates me. None of those things will be available to someone fighting for their life. In my squads everyone pulls themselves out of the pool by their own strength. I have had 6 year old girls with broken arms wrapped in water proof plaster casts do it after they’ve just worked their little hearts out for 1hr or more. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find out you weren’t strong enough to save your own life!
Step 1 Try to avoid danger
Step 2 Learn to get out of danger
This is what Royal Life Saving had to say about this year’s report.
Royal Life Saving is deeply alarmed to see that the numbers of drowning deaths are the highest they’ve been at any time in the last 7 years, with 314 drowning deaths in Australian waterways between July 1st 2009 and June 30th 2010.
Live to Inspire
Mark Andrews 2010
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