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Keep Watch To Save Lives This Summer, Says YMCA

Tuesday, 25th September 2012

The YMCA, a not-for-profit and leading provider of Aquatic and Leisure Management, is imploring parents and communities around NSW to keep a close watch of children in and around pools, as we enter the beginning of the summer pool season.

The Y’s plea follows a near-drowning incident at YMCA-managed Mount Annan Leisure Centre in Sydney’s South-West yesterday, involving a three-year-old boy being resuscitated by pool lifeguards. As a result of the rapid and skilful response of YMCA staff, the boy was successfully resuscitated and immediately flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital. He is now at home with his family in a stable condition.

Phillip Hare, CEO, YMCA of Sydney, said the incident acted as a reminder of the importance of active supervision in and around waterways, and particularly swimming pools as we prepare for an early summer and busy pool season.

“The YMCA is pleased to say that the immediate and rapid response from our lifeguards and the professionalism of staff resulted in a positive outcome yesterday,” he said.

“While positive, this incident is a timely reminder to the community of the importance of active child supervision in and around pools to ensure the safety of our kids in the water. “At the Y, we encourage all families to spend quality time together in swimming pools and at the beach as the weather warms up, however there is a very serious side to having fun in the water and we need everyone to ‘keep watch’.

Guidelines from Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA) specify that children under 10 require active supervision in the water by someone 16 years and over, with children aged zero to five years needing an adult within arms-reach at all time.”

According to RLSSA’s latest Drowning Report, 284 people drowned in Australia in the year to June 2012, with 105 of those deaths in NSW. Active supervision is vital to ensuring children stay safe in aquatic environments, but it is also important that they learn how to swim from an early age.

The Y’s Learn to Swim program, offered at YMCA facilities across NSW, not only teaches children how to swim, but provides them with life-saving water safety skills. As a not-for-profit charity, the Y is committed to ensuring every community has access to quality and affordable swimming lessons in their local area.

-ENDS-