How to be a backyard lifeguard
- Active supervision is crucial; within sight and reach, without distraction.
- Have a dedicated person whose sole responsibility is watching the children, particularly during busy periods when there is a lot going on such as bbq-ing and food prep.
- Set and discuss safe water play rules with your children. Such as no going near water unless they have an adult with them.
- Have a plan: what if you need to take one child to the toilet, or you need to run inside to the oven?
- Be ready to respond in an emergency. Learn child CPR.
- If you have an inflatable pool, ensure it is fully inflated and filled. This will help prevent the sides collapsing if a toddler leans on it.
- Check home pools and other bodies of water first if a child is missing.
- Identify potential water hazards and provide barriers to eliminate or minimise risk, especially if you are on holiday or visiting an unfamiliar location.
- Remove toys and other fun items from the pool that children might want to get at.
Auckland Council and Drowning Prevention Auckland are calling on Aucklanders to reduce the number of drownings in home pools this summer.
Since this time last year four pre-schoolers have been lost in home pool drownings.
“We want people to have an awesome summer in their pools. We’re encouraging parents and caregivers to be a lifeguard in their own backyard to ensure they have a safe summer with whanau and friends,” says Councillor Linda Cooper, Chair of the Regulatory Committee.
Cooper says that whether it’s a fully-fenced inground pool, a plastic clamshell, or an inflatable paddling pool, we need to keep a constant eye on our kids around water.
Active supervision of children at all times is crucial to prevent drownings, says Davin Bray, Chief Executive Drowning Prevention Auckland.
“Drowning is silent – there is no splash or scream to alert you. As a father I know how quickly things can happen with children, who are inquisitive and naturally drawn to water,” he says.
Bray says the number one rule around water should be active supervision by an adult at all times – whether it’s pool, beach, lake or bath.
Active supervision means within sight and reach, without distraction.
The heat is on
With temperatures soaring many families will be eyeing up a temporary pool – some may already be wrapped and under the Christmas tree.
As appealing and economical as these are, they still come with responsibilities. Depending on the depth they may require fencing and will ideally be emptied when not in use.
Above all active supervision at all times is crucial. Parents and caregivers are advised to think ahead about strategies to reduce gaps in supervision.
“If you have to take one child to the toilet, what’s your plan with the others – or if you have to pop inside to answer the phone? It can take as little as 20 seconds for a child to drown,” says Bray.
Prevent access
Water is attractive to children which is why restricting unsupervised access to pools is so important.
More than 30,000 pools are registered with Auckland Council, which carries out a pool safety inspection once every three years on these.
In the interim Jeff Fahrensohn, Manager Field Surveying Building Consents, says pool owners are encouraged to carry out their own maintenance and inspections to ensure ongoing safety.
“The biggest cause of inspection failures are faulty gates and climbable objects, such as pots and garden furniture, near the pool fence. That’s concerning because for children under five, unsupervised access is a leading cause of fatal or non-fatal drowning in pools,” he says.
