Drownings Increase

Number of holiday drownings rockets

PAUL MILLAR
January 15, 2010
A HUGE jump in national drowning deaths over the Christmas holiday period has stunned the Royal Life Saving Society. The number has jumped from 24 last year to 41 this year, in the period from December 24 to January 12.
Royal Life Saving chief executive Rob Bradley said the jump was ''deeply troubling'' and with the Australia Day long weekend coming up, he warned people to take extra care when they head to the water.
''We are absolutely staggered by the number of drowning incidents in the lead-up to Christmas and in the early part of the new year,'' Mr Bradley said.
The toll shows that many died away from beaches, in swimming pools, rivers, lakes and fishing off rocks.
''A common misconception is that most drownings happen at the beach,'' Mr Bradley said. ''Inland waterways are very treacherous. Rivers and lakes may appear on the surface to be calm and tranquil but can be very dangerous.''
The worst day was January 9, when eight people drowned, including two boys from Victoria - a two-year-old who died in a backyard pool and a six-year-old who drowned in a public pool.
Statistics show that up to 40 per cent of adult drownings are related to alcohol.
''We remind people never to mix alcohol with any kind of swimming, boating or fishing,'' Mr Bradley said. ''If you are out boating, make sure everybody is wearing a lifejacket and the boat has appropriate safety equipment.''
Fourteen people have died in NSW followed by 11 in Queensland, six in Victoria, three in WA, three in the Northern Territory, two in SA, and one each in Tasmania and the ACT.