How many is too many?
What is acceptable?
How much are we prepared to do?
What are you prepared to sacrifice?
It is a series of questions that I opened with in delivering a "10 year analysis into Drowning in Public Aquatic Facilities" speech at the LIWA Conference in August and one that I now pose to the rest of the Industry...
There are approximately 1200 public aquatic facilities in Australia, each of them varying in size shape and diversity of patrons. Over the past 10 years these facilities have been witness to almost 300 Drowning incidents in which a patron has been admitted to hospital following an immersion in the water. Unfortunately 36 of these persons did not survive.
This number doesn't include those that presented to the emergency ward and were not admitted and the countless rescues that resulted in oxygen therapy resuscitation. It also doesn't include the heart attacks, suicides and other medical emergencies that have occurred.
The Aquatic industry is robust in nature and subject to a wide range of legislation, regulations, best practice guidelines but are we doing enough? Are these numbers acceptable?
Compared to many other key waterways this number is very low, just a small fraction of the total numbers but does that make the challenge even greater?
Let us know your thoughts?
