A spike in the number of drowning deaths in rivers and creeks has prompted an urgent call to Australians living in regional and rural areas to brush up on their water safety knowledge and skills.
A spike in the number of drowning deaths in rivers and creeks has prompted an urgent call to Australians living in regional and rural areas to brush up on their water safety knowledge and skills.
The Royal Life Saving 2009 National Drowning Report shows river drowning spiked last year at 76 deaths, up 40% from the five year average of 54 deaths.
In nearly a fifth of cases, the person who lost their lives was driving through a flooded road.
In total 302 Australians lost their lives to drowning last financial year, up from 261 the year before.
There were fatalities recorded in every month from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, with January and February the worst months for drowning deaths in rivers and creeks
“The rise in river drowning deaths is a very worrying trend and we’re calling on all Australians in rural and regional areas to use these alarming statistics as a reminder about the importance of water safety, Royal Life Saving CEO Rob Bradley said.
“The statistics are only one part of the story. What you don’t see in the figure of 76 drowning deaths in rivers is the faces of those lives lost and the families and friends who are left to grieve their loss. This touches everyone in our community, regardless of who you are.
“These deaths could be prevented. In a quarter of cases, we simply don’t know what happened to cause the person to drown because they were alone at the time. A very simple way to protect yourself from drowning is to never go in, on or near the water alone.
“A small percentage of deaths in rivers came from people entering the water to try to rescue someone in trouble. We’d urge people not to get in the water themselves but to throw something that is buoyant, like an esky lid, to the person in trouble and summon help.
“Our other key safety tip is never to cross a flooded roadway, no matter how much of a hurry you might be in. Nothing is more important than getting home safely.
“There is a big problem in Australia with complacency around water safety. It’s easy to convince yourself that because you’ve grown up in the area, you can judge the depth or speed of rivers. But the statistics don’t support that. More than a third of those who lost their lives in a river or creek were over 55 years old.
“Royal Life Saving offers free fact sheets designed to address the common risk areas for people at various stages of life. They can be found at www.royallifesaving.com.au
“Royal Life Saving would love to be putting out a media release this time next year saying that Australians in regional and rural areas really took notice of these statistics and took action to protect themselves and their loved ones from drowning.