Today, the day after our 8th anniversary of Hannah's death I visited two public swimming areas. The heat is wild today and many are out in the open spaces trying to cool off. These are not places to be when its sheer madness. Its a recipe for disaster and sadly, its a matter of when not if it will happen.
Lifeguards were at one place everywhere but hard to see when you had over 2000 people in the water. YES 2000 humans in the water or there about. I felt for the lifeguards today. Strategically placed every 30 m apart all 15 of them watching the water, picking kids up, instructing kids to stop jumping, bombing or diving in the shallows, the list goes on. THEN. I hear the horror stories from the dedicated lifeguards trying to earn their living like the rest of us (apart from volunteers).
One shared the story of a rescue a toddler she caught out of the corner of her eye, so quick and fast. She jumped in to rescue the child and yet the supervisor was no where. When the adult was located an argument ensured and the poor lifeguard frazzled at her rescue was overwhelmed. I was appalled when this lifeguard told me she was accused of not watching this child and that she had no right to touch her. Um... Your child was in the process of drowning, this young lifeguard had the knowledge, skills and this is how they are thanked. I was gobsmacked.
Upon speaking to another lifeguard he said he is always confronted by abuse when he tries to locate the supervisors of young children. This school holiday he says the worst age group is the 6 - 9 year old. Too big for the shallow water at 30cm but not big enough for the deep pool. He states "these kids just lose their footing, they forget to swim, they are just unaware that they can't do it all the time they need that edge still".
Another public venue shared a story that really rattled me. A rescue of an older child, not really great at the swim skills but they had some skills but when an incident occurred and he was pulled from the water there were NO SUPERVISORS watching him. He was there ALONE. Kids can't supervise themselves and Lifeguards are NOT BABYSITTERS.
Who is Supervising?
As a swim teacher its abhorrent behaviour from parents, carers from adult supervisors to abuse LIFEGUARDS. For pete's sake without our lifeguards the drowning stats in this country would be over 1000 at best. Thank god and bless the Lifeguard.
Here's a message to all you obnoxious idiots who think Lifeguards are babysitters. If you want a babysitter. HIRE ONE qualified in lifeguarding, CPR, water rescue and swimming survival. Its a costly exercise to HIRE ONE I tell you but go on, I'm sure many with these qualifications would dig your employment opportunity. Seriously? You couldn't afford their hourly rate at private contract level. What I find rude and inconsiderate is that too many don't give a rats who is watching in a public venue. Comments from patrons were eye opening too.
"oh there's a life guard over there, she'll be right". (child with floaties on the arms in the water up to her waist, not in arms reach)
"oh they can swim or they can dog paddle". (two 5 year olds, on the edge of the deep pool adult supervisors about 20m away)
This list could go. Its an eye opener for anyone. I wouldn't want my adult children being lifeguards the responsibility is too great and having seen the devastation of what it does to you when you lose someone THEY KNOW. I've spoken with many lifeguards since 2007 over the rescues and resuscitation of victims and the deaths. These young people are scarred for life. Many will never recover, some leave the lifeguard game, its too bloody stressful.
Then there is the social media expert who wishes to challenge the grieving parent or organisation trying to help educate the community. I can tell you out of the 19 fatal I dealt with last year 17 of those kids could swim, had lessons, were considered a lesser risk in the water than those without. THEY DIED. So Swimming lessons wont save your life if you are NOT BEING SUPERVISED.
To the ignorant people out there who think Swim lessons are the be all and end all think again. Kids get IN TO TROUBLE WHEN SWIMMING. If they are in trouble they can't rescue them selves. Your supervision helps that risk reduce because you are actively watching them. You will rescue them, just like a lifeguard will. A life guard is YOUR back up on the water. They are there to oversea the dangers of EVERYONE together. Your role is YOUR CHILD/REN.
So to all who think its OKAY to leave their children at a water venue alone, unsupervised or with limited supervision. WAKE UP. You are responsibility to the people you bring to that venue. YOU, not the poor life guard, not the café owner, not the cleaner and NOT other supervisors WHO do, do the right thing.
If you fail to supervise the children in your care and there are no barriers in place (PROPER LIFE JACKETS) then I'm one for having you charged when the drowning incident occurs.
The amount of kids in bloody ridiculous flotation pool toys and being used as a safety device was astonishing. It says on the product THIS IS NOT A FLOATION DEVICE.
Are people really this bloody stupid? This is all one venue. The next venue is just as scary.
Visit the coffee shop I'm looking over the water and I see 11 heads in the water and 5 in canoes. Its a river. Bloody murky water. The swimmers were in dark clothing. Their shirts blended to the water on two as they were wearing a skin toned colour shirt. I struggled watching them and I was 100m away. The kids in the canoes had paddles and no life jackets at all. These kids looked to me be in age of around 12 - 15. The café waitress said "they've been here all week" and shook her head.
Now these kids were acting responsibly. Until one of the canoes overturned and two kids ended up on the water. I watched with my heart in my throat. I was up on my feet, boots, jeans and all ready to run. Two men down on the bank ran to these kids and one swam over to help. One of the kids rang someone. There was no injury but falling in without a life jacket both of these kids panicked.
Another 20 mins or so three cars pull up and all the kids are turfed into cars with their canoes and taken away by either parents or people supposedly watching them. Kudos to these men for being so alert. A huge THUMBS down for the carers of these teens. It happened in an instant. I saw it myself. The waitress said "I'm waiting for someone to drown". Shit just got real for these people.
So the next time you are at a public venue (and at home). WATCH THE CHILDREN. Your kids, the neighbours kids, your kids best friends. If you have KIDS in your care or HOME SUPERVISE THEM.
Kids who swim drown. Kids cannot see danger. KIDS NEED YOUR EYES.
Supervision and Barriers save lives. Listen to the lifeguards and next time Thank them. They have a tough job working on the water and its thankless. So Thank the Lifeguards for keeping our waters safer with their eyes and skills but lets support them and be better supervisors ourselves as parents, carers, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbours and people in our community.
Its the only way drowning will stop. Enjoy summer, stay safe, Thank your lifeguard.
Kat Plint
Founder of Hannah's Foundation
Swim Teacher
Coronial Researcher
Water Safety Advocate
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