VICTORIAN DROWNING SUMMARY

Transcription

1 VICTORIAN DROWNING SUMMARY 2004 / 2005

2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 03 MISSION AND VALUES 03 METHODS 03 OVERVIEW 04 DROWNINGS ACROSS THE LIFESTAGES 11 INFANTS AND TODDLERS (AGE 0-4 YRS) 12 CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADOLESCENTS (AGE 5-14 YRS) 14 YOUNG ADULTS (AGE YRS) 16 ADULTS (AGE YRS) 18 ADULTS (AGE YRS) 20 OLDER ADULTS (AGE 60+ YRS) 22 ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 23 AT THE BEACH 24 RESCUES 25 CITATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Life Saving Victoria, (2005). Victorian Drowning Summary 2004/2005, Life Saving Victoria, Melbourne. AUTHORS Dr Bernadette Matthews, Warwick Waters and Brooke Irvine Life Saving Victoria Life Saving Victoria acknowledges the assistance of the following organisations in preparing the Victorian Drowning Summary: Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner, Department of Justice The Victorian State Coroner s Office Australian Bureau of Statistics Marine Safety Victoria

3 MISSIONS AND VALUES METHODS Life Saving Victoria (est. 2002) is an initiative of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia Victoria Branch (est. 1904) and Surf Life Saving Victoria (est. 1947). It has the mission to prevent aquatic related death and injury in all Victorian communities and the vision that all Victorians will learn water safety, swimming and resuscitation, and be provided with safe beaches, water environments and aquatic venues. Life Saving Victoria will achieve this by working with its members, communities, educational institutions, governments, and other organisations in the provision INTRODUCTION As part of our continued commitment to the prevention of aquatic related death and injury in Victorian communities, Life Saving Victoria has produced this report on drowning deaths and preventative actions across Victoria for the year 1 July 2004 to 30 June Drowning and near-drowning has been recognised by State and federal governments as one of the four priority areas in health requiring immediate attention. Life Saving Victoria is focused on continual improvement of lifesaving and water safety initiatives for the prevention of drowning and near-drowning, in keeping with recommendations in the National Water Safety Plan of best practice education, surveillance and rescue, training, and risk management services. Life Saving Victoria is forging new lifesaving and water safety initiatives while respecting the proud traditions and programs of the Royal Life Saving and Surf Life Saving National organisations. In its continued commitment to the prevention of aquatic related death and injury in Victorian communities, Life Saving Victoria produces a brief analysis of drownings each year. This report outlines trends and commonalities in drowning deaths this year compared to the previous 4 years for which there is detailed information available. This information will help identify priority areas for water safety. As part of Life Saving Victoria s vision it has various prevention strategies to develop a water safe community. The dissemination of information from this report along with further examination and continual monitoring of aquatic related incidents will help provide guidance in regards to future prevention strategies. This process will allow Life Saving Victoria to work toward a zero drowning rate. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER LIFE SAVING VICTORIA Nigel Taylor, ESM This report includes unintentional drowning incidents; intentional drownings (homicides and suicides) were not included in the analysis. Information for this report has been collected from the State Coroner s Office Victoria and the National Coroner s Information System (NCIS). At the time of printing, these statistics contain information relating to both open and closed cases. Coronial investigations and findings relating to open cases may alter these reported drowning figures. An extensive review of the incidence of drownings in Victoria from July 2000 June 2004 has been conducted by Lyndal Bugeja. The resultant comprehensive data set was used to provide a 4-year summary of drownings in Victoria. This will be used throughout the current report to compare with drownings that occurred this year. The incidence of drownings occurring by location, activity, gender, age, etc. will be outlined as well as any trends or emerging issues. Public awareness campaigns, aquatic education, aquatic risk management and lifesaving activities are outlined within the document. We have aligned these to the various lifestages through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Life Saving Victoria believes that water safety education and awareness should be a continual process not just a skill learnt in the younger years

4 OVERVIEW Forty-six people lost their lives as a result of drowning/ immersion incidents in Victoria during the year 1 July 2004 to 30 June This figure includes three multiple drowning tragedies which claimed a total of 11 lives. The international standard for reporting death by drowning is as a rate per 100,000 of the population. The population of Victoria was 5,002,258 in the December Quarter of 2004 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005). Therefore, the drowning rate for 2004/2005 was 0.92 per 100,000. DROWNINGS PER 100,000 POPULATION /96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 YEAR 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 Over the last 10 years the drowning rate or number of drownings per head of population has decreased from 1.21 deaths per 100,000 to 0.92 per 100,000. This represents a decrease of 24% from 1995/1996 to 2004/2005 (Figure 1). Figure 1 > Rate of drownings in Victoria over 10 years: 1 July June 2005 In comparison to the average rate over the last 4 years (0.94) this year s figure represents a decrease of 2.4%.

5 WHO IS DROWNING? GENDER 10 This year 36 (78%) males and 10 (22%) females drowned in Victoria. This is exactly the same as the 4-year average from , thus males are about 4 times more likely to drown than females. The over-representation of males is typical of National and International drowning statistics. AGE Drownings were fairly evenly distributed across all age groups (Figure 2). The greatest increases this year were found in the 5-14 year age group, with an increase of 5 above the 4-year average and in males of the year age group with an increase of 4. There was a reduction of 4 in the 0-4 year age group, 3 in the year age group and 3 in the year age group. DROWNINGS / YR UNKNOWN AGE GROUP (YRS) : 4 yr avg Females 2004/2005: Females : 4 yr avg Males 2004/2005: Males Figure 2 > Number of drownings per year by age and gender:

6 WHEN DID THEY DROWN? SEASON While Summer is typically thought of as the peak season for drownings due to the warmer weather, a greater number of drownings typically occur during Spring and Summer with slightly less in Autumn and Winter (Figure 3). Indeed drownings occur across all seasons; this year the majority of drownings occurred in Summer (17, 37%), followed by 15 (33%) in Spring, 8 (17%) in Winter, and 6 (13%) in Autumn. These figures indicate that the push to have water safety education and public awareness campaigns continue across the year is vital to break the common mindset that water safety is just a Summer issue. DROWNINGS / YR AUTUMN SPRING SUMMER WINTER SEASON yr avg 2004/2005 Figure 3 > Number of drownings per year by season:

7 WHERE WERE THEY? REGION A greater number of drownings (30, 65%) occurred in regional Victoria in 2004/2005. This is a continuing trend; the average number of drownings that occurred in regional areas from represented 59% (27) of the total drownings. DROWNINGS / YR (%) While many drownings occurred in regional areas, in 25 (55%) cases the deceased resided in the metropolitan area, 19 (41%) were in regional areas and 2 (4%) were from interstate COASTAL INLAND HOME / OTHER This emphasises the need to continue the development and extension of education programs and public awareness campaigns throughout all Victoria yr avg 2004/2005 WATERWAYS WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? Figure 4 > Percentage of drownings by location: Of the 39 drownings that occurred outside the home environment this year 21 (54%) people lived more than 50km from where they drowned. A lack of experience in and knowledge of the aquatic environment may increase the risk of drowning. It is also important to remember that conditions in and around the water are constantly changing. This confirms the importance of a key Play It Safe by the Water message: Check it s OK to swim before you enter the water

8 WHERE WERE THEY? WATERWAYS This year saw an increase in the number of drownings at inland waterways, namely lakes and creeks, recording 21 (46%) drownings, compared with 16 (35%) in coastal waterways (Figure 4). Compared to the 4-year average ( ), drownings have increased by 4 at inland waterways. DROWNINGS / YR BATH/ SPA BATH BAY BEACH CREEK DAM LAKE OCEAN POND HOME POOL BODY OF WATER OTHER POOL RIVER WATERHOLE OTHER yr avg 2004/2005 Figure 5 > Drownings by type of body of water:

9 WHAT WERE THEY DOING? ACTIVITY 14 Consistent with previous years, the majority of drownings occurred while walking or playing near water, boating (including fishing from a boat), and swimming (Figure 6). It is encouraging to note that there were 4 less recreational boating fatalities this year (7, 15%). This is compared to an average of 11 (24%) over the 4 years from This year small open boats were most commonly involved with 5 drownings involving motorboats, 1 a canoe, another involved a yacht. DROWNINGS / YR ATTEMPTING A RESCUE BATHING / HAVING A SPA BATH BOATING/ FISHING FROM A BOAT CRAFT RIDING DIVING/ SKIN DIVING ROCK FISHING ACTIVITY OTHER FISHING SWIMMING WALKING / PLAYING NEAR WATER OTHER/ UNKNOWN yr avg 2004/2005 Figure 6 > Drownings by activity:

10 DROWNING INCIDENTS 04/05 BY ACTIVITY Figure 7 > Victorian drowning incidents 2004/2005 showing incident activity

11 DROWNINGS ACROSS THE LIFE STAGES IN THIS 2004/2005 REPORT LIFE SAVING VICTORIA HAS TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE WAY WE LOOK AT THE DROWNING AGE GROUPS. WE HAVE FOCUSED ON LIFESTAGES AND ON THE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT LIFE SAVING VICTORIA AND OTHER AGENCIES HAVE USED OVER THE PAST YEAR AS PART OF THE ONGOING CHALLENGE OF DROWNING PREVENTION VIA WATER SAFETY EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS. DEPENDING ON WHAT STAGE OF LIFE WE ARE AT, THIS BRINGS NEW CHALLENGES, INTERESTS, INFLUENCES, AND CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ABILITY. THIS TRANSLATES TO DIFFERENT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH DROWNING. IN ORDER TO PREVENT DROWNING AND WATER RELATED INJURIES WE NEED TO TARGET PEOPLE AT EACH LIFESTAGE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO THE VARIOUS LIFESTAGES, AND DETAIL THE TRENDS IN DROWNING WITHIN THESE STAGES. THIS REPORT ALSO OUTLINES THE PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS THAT LIFE SAVING VICTORIA IS UNDERTAKING TO TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DROWNINGS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

12 [AGE 0-4] INFANTS AND TODDLERS There has been a signifi cant decrease in the number of toddler drownings in Victoria. This year there were 2 toddler drownings in Victoria, representing 4.3% of the Victorian total. This fi gure is lower than the average (6, 12%) in this age group over the previous 4 years. Of the 2 drownings this year, both occurred in rural areas; 1 in a garden pond at home and the other in a dam. Similarly over the previous 4 years the majority of toddler drownings occurred in rural areas (77%); most often in dams (27%), or in bathtubs (23%). Figure 8 shows the location of drownings in the 0-4 age group and demonstrates the signifi cant reduction in drownings in home pools as well as a reduction across most other areas, except dams.

13 PREVENTION STRATEGIES KEEP WATCH RLSSA s (Royal Life Saving Society Australia) KEEP WATCH program is one of the key strategies for public health promotion which is aimed at preventing infant and toddler drownings. This long standing program has been successful in raising public awareness of toddler drowning through several key activities such as: Community Service Announcements and Information Brochures which are specifically targeted to new parents. At Life Saving Victoria we understand how vital it is to get this important water safety message to all new parents through continual communication as people transcend in and out of this life stage quickly. Since the inception of the program the number of infant and toddler drownings has been significantly reduced. The average number of Victorian drownings for the period was half that of the average for the previous 4-years The risk of drowning in the home pool is one area that this is most evident with the number of drownings reduced from 41% of the total drownings for to 9% for Life Saving Victoria is concerned with the continuing trend of toddler drownings in dams. Life Saving Victoria is working on future campaigns that will be directed towards creating an awareness of supervision and creating safe play areas on farms and in rural areas. We will also continue to promote the Play It Safe by the Water key message: Never take your eyes off. The KEEP WATCH program focuses on 4 key points, which when used in combination, can effectively prevent toddler drowning. These are: Supervise your child Provide barriers to water locations Familiarise your child with the water Learn resuscitation For more information: INFANT AQUATICS RLSSA s Infant Aquatics program targeting new parents and children from 6 months of age addresses the third KEEP WATCH action familiarise your child with the water. Infant Aquatics is Australia s first, fully structured infants program which introduces infants and toddlers to the excitement of water activities socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically. The program encourages individual progression in developing aquatic skills suitable to each child s developmental stage, through 4 main components: Water familiarisation Water safety Early buoyancy Swimming development This program allows infants and toddlers to explore and enjoy the aquatic environment and familiarise themselves with water through active participation with their parents. The skills developed through programs such as Infant Aquatics are an important precursor for the RLSSA Swim and Survive program yr avg DROWNINGS / YR BEACH BATHTUB DAM HOME POOL OTHER POOL IRRIGATION CHANNEL LAKE POND RIVERS/ CREEKS OTHER LOCATION Figure 8 > Drowning locations in the 0-4 yr age group: yr avg 2004/2005 At this stage of life and as they develop toddlers start to explore their environment and it only takes a few seconds when a parent or carer is distracted for a drowning to occur. In the majority of cases in this age group the child wandered into the water while their parent or carer was distracted. Also there was no barrier around either the water or between the child s play area and the water. From nearly 70% of drownings occurred when the child was walking or playing near water. Drownings in this age group also commonly occurred during bath time (4, 18%), and when swimming, paddling or wading in water, 3 (14%). This emphasises the need for active supervision of infants and toddlers at all times when in or around water, that is, being constantly watched by an adult within arms reach

14 [AGE 5-14] CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADOLESCENTS The childhood and adolescent years up to age 14 have typically seen the least number of drownings from However, this fi gure jumped dramatically in 2004/2005 with 6 drownings in this age group, representing 13% of the total drownings for the year. This fi gure is more than the total number of drownings over the previous 4 years Contributing to the jump in drownings in the group were 2 multiple fatalities. Three children died in these incidents. The number of drownings at this stage of life has tended to fl uctuate over the years (Figure 9). However, it was on the general decrease from , with an average of 1 drowning per year. This latest increase is close to the average of 4 drownings per year from The activities prior to drowning were typical of previous years. These included swimming, paddling or wading (3), walking or playing near water (1), and in addition walking between rocks (2). Interestingly, the locations of drownings in this group were different to previous years. This year drownings occurred at the beach (2), in lakes (3) and at a waterhole (1); in previous years drownings more often occurred in home pools, rivers or creeks. In all cases this year incidents occurred away from the home. Five (83%) incidents occurred more than 50km from the victim s place of residence. The increase in fatalities this year emphasises the importance of Life Saving Victoria s commitment to provide all Victorian children with water safety and survival skills in preparation for safe activity when in, on or around water, and promoting an awareness of water safety in different aquatic environments. Life Saving Victoria believes water safety is a vital life skill that all children should have.

15 PREVENTION STRATEGIES Many of Life Saving Victoria s activities focus on this age group because they are the formative years. At this time children and adolescents can also be reached in large numbers through schools and different community groups, allowing us to educate them on the importance of water safety and aquatic survival skills before they move into the young adult lifestage. AT THE POOL SWIM AND SURVIVE RLSSA s National Swim and Survive program is more than lessons, it s an adventure! Swim and Survive provides a broad, balanced approach to swimming, water safety and survival skills, essential for every child s safety when in, on or near the water. The program is linked with the Victorian Curriculum and Standards Framework and the Victorian Water Safety Certificate. This year the program was delivered in over 250 pools and schools throughout Victoria, to over 156,000 students. For more information: JUNIOR LIFEGUARD CLUB The Junior Lifeguard Club, designed by RLSSA, provides a unique and exciting alternative for those who love the water and who want more than just lessons. This program offers a diverse range of activities which aim to develop and improve an individual s: Lifesaving skills Swimming skills Community education Leadership and teamwork Fitness Lifesaving knowledge IN THE CLASSROOM AIR TO LIFE The Air to Life program is an interactive 1hour session designed to teach students and the community basic resuscitation and emergency response techniques. The program facilitates an understanding of basic anatomy, patient management, assessment of emergency situations and administration of Expired Air Resuscitation (EAR). The program was delivered to over 1,980 students throughout Victoria in 2004/2005. TELSTRA BEACH TO BUSH + MEET A LIFEGUARD Targeting regional areas, the Telstra Beach to Bush surf safety program aims to educate children across inland and regional areas about beach and surf safety. This year the program reached 10,000 primary school children from 102 regional Victorian schools. The Meet a Lifeguard program targets students and community groups in metropolitan and some inner regional areas. The program educates participants on hazards within all aquatic environments, with a particular emphasis on basic water safety knowledge and practices for all waterways, beach awareness and the role of a lifeguard. This program reached 2,045 students and members of the community in 2004/2005. Other programs which target this lifestage include: Open Water Learning Experience Water Safety Beach Program Indoor Surf Education Bronze Rescue Boating Safety for Kids These programs will be discussed in the following sections. NUMBER OF DROWNINGS /97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 The childhood and adolescent years are a crucial time for intervention as children are forming habits and behavioural patterns that will set the stage for the rest of their life. Thus it is important to provide children with swimming skills but also to instil in them an understanding of water safety in addition to the fun side of participation in water based activities. This is also a period when children may pass on what they have learned to their parents/ carers, thus reinforcing safety messages back to parents and carers. YEAR Figure 9 > Drownings among children and adolescents (age 5-14 yrs):

16 [AGE 15-24] YOUNG ADULTS Young adults aged years represented 13% of Victorian drownings this year. Of the 6 drownings that occurred in 2004/2005, 4 were males and 2 females. The 2004/2005 fi gure is the same as in 2003/2004 however all six victims were males last year. The predominance of male drownings in this age group is a continuing trend, in the 4-years from , 95% of drownings were young adult males. Inland locations, specifi cally rivers or creeks, accounted for all young male drownings this year. Over the 4-year period from rivers and creeks accounted for 35% of young male drownings, followed by beach locations (20%) and then a fairly even spread of lakes, waterholes, the ocean, and home pools, baths or spa baths. Two of the three female drownings from occurred in the bath (a seizure from epilepsy being a contributing factor) while the other occurred driving a motor vehicle which became immersed in water. Over the past 5 years the type of activities undertaken by young men (age 15-24yrs) just prior to drowning were primarily swimming, paddling or wading in the water (29%), or walking/ playing near the water (13%), Figure 10.

17 PREVENTION STRATEGIES Life Saving Victoria s education programs and media campaigns aim to develop skills and attitudes to enable young adults to make better informed risk taking decisions, along with the skills to react appropriately in an emergency situation. OPEN WATER LEARNING EXPERIENCE (OWLE) The OWLE was designed by Life Saving Victoria, with the support of the Victorian Government s Play It Safe by the Water campaign, to address the number of drownings in inland waterways. A fun and educational program, the OWLE provides a practical approach to familiarise students with open water environments. With a major emphasis on water safety, the program teaches and empowers students to use potentially lifesaving skills through the following 5 key areas: DRABC awareness Identification of dangers Use of PFDs Reach and throw rescues Use of appropriate Water Craft (Body Boards) All activities can be conducted in a range of open water environments including rivers, lakes, beaches and dams. This program is a great way to get students participating in outdoor activities. This year the program reached 5,875 upper primary and lower secondary school students from 81 Victorian schools. WATER SAFETY BEACH PROGRAM At the beach, the Water Safety Beach Program is a great way to teach students lifesaving techniques while emphasising the importance of beach awareness and water safety. Tailored to the needs of each school, the program covers skills such as Board Paddling, Tube Rescues, Beach Flags, Beach Safety and Awareness, and Swimming, Wading and Dolphining. Mini carnivals are also available. The Water Safety Beach Program reached 5,000 Victorian students in 2004/2005. INDOOR SURF EDUCATION WAVE POOL The Indoor Surf Education program is a fun way to provide students with an understanding of surf lifesaving skills in a controlled environment. Conducted at the Monash Aquatic and Recreation Centre, this program reached over 1,300 students this year. The indoor wave pool facilitates an educative and fun experience outside the classroom. Tailored to both primary and secondary year levels it is also a great introduction to the Bronze Rescue program. BRONZE RESCUE RLSSAs Bronze Rescue program gives students and community groups the knowledge and skills to be able to make the right survival decisions, instinctive decisions that may help them or those around them survive an aquatic emergency. As a precursor to the Swim and Survive program, the Bronze Rescue program comprises 3 rescue awards, followed by the Bronze Star, the highly acclaimed Bronze Medallion and the Bronze Cross. Over 3,166 Bronze Stars and Bronze Medallions were awarded to students and throughout the community in 2004/2005. SWIM SAFE ROOS This year saw a new community partnership program with the Kangaroos Football Club, Life Saving Victoria and Play It Safe by the Water. The new Swim Safe Roos initiative will target young male risk takers, with 6 Kangaroos ambassadors helping to deliver water safety messages across Victoria, through Life Saving Victoria s school and community education programs. The campaign is designed to address the number of drownings that occur, particularly during the non-summer months. NUMBER OF DROWNINGS From alcohol and/ or illicit drugs were contributing factors in 7 (29%) drownings in young males aged 15-24yrs. In a further 4 (17%) cases it was reported that the young male entered the water even though he was unable to swim or had poor swimming ability. Young men tend to place themselves in high risk situations and act impulsively which inturn increases their risk of drowning. Risk taking behaviours include: being in or around water while intoxicated or under the influence of illicit drugs, entering unknown waters, entering the water in an unsafe manner (eg. jumping from a height), entering unsafe waters (eg. in poor weather conditions), or not wearing a lifejacket/ PFD (personal floatation device) yrs 0 ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A WATERHOLE BATHING DRIVING MOTOR VEHICLE DIVING / SKIN DIVING SURFING KAYAKING / CANOEING BOATING FISHING FROM A BOAT ROCK FISHING OTHER FISHING ACTIVITY PADDLING UNPOWERED INFLATABLE SURFING SWIMMING, PADDLING OR WADING WALKING / PLAYING NEAR WATER WALKING BETWEEN ROCKS UNKNOWN / OTHER 25-34yrs Figure 10 > Young adult male (15-34yrs) drownings by activity:

18 [AGE 25-34] ADULTS Adults within the age group 25-34yrs have tended over the past 4 years to represent the highest proportion of drownings in Victoria, averaging 8 drownings per year from This year saw a decrease in this number with 5 drownings, representing 11% of the total drownings in 2004/2005 (Figure 2). Locations of drownings in this age group were evenly spread between beaches (2), lakes (2) and a creek (1). From beaches (19%), bays (19%) and rivers or creeks (28%) were typically where drownings occurred. In contrast to young adult males (15-24yrs), men aged 25-34yrs were involved in different types of activities prior to drowning (Figure 10). Over the last 5 years the majority of incidents occurred while boating (43%). Others occurred while diving/ skin diving (14%), fi shing (11%), walking/ playing near water (11%), or swimming (11%). During , 8 (67%) recreational boating drowning victims in this age group were not wearing a PFD. One incident involved rock fi shing and in this case the victim was also not wearing a PFD. Current regulations do not require rock fi shers to wear a PFD. In 6 cases (50%) there was a PFD available but it was not worn at the time of the incident (Figure 11). This emphasises the importance of always wearing a PFD when boating or rock fi shing. Risk taking behaviours may also extend into the adult years. This includes the consumption of alcohol or being under the infl uence of illicit drugs. In addition, at this stage of life men often take up various activities depending on their interests. This age group typically has an increased disposable income, therefore allowing activities involving equipment such as jet skis, kayaks and motorised water craft, this can hold further dangers.

19 PREVENTION STRATEGIES Public awareness campaigns aim to promote water safety knowledge. Education programs in the childhood and adolescent years aim to develop skills and water safety knowledge that individuals will take with them into the adult years. BOATING SAFETY FOR KIDS The Boating Safety for Kids program is a joint initiative between Marine Safety Victoria, Lifesaving Victoria and Yachting Victoria. The program received funding from Marine Safety Victoria s Boating Safety and Facilities Program which aims to make boating safer and more accessible for all Victorians. The program began in April this year and is the first of its kind in Victoria and aims to teach school children the basics of boating safety. The purpose of the program is to facilitate student learning for future recreational boating use and to encourage children to reinforce safety messages back to parents and grandparents. Qualified Life Saving Victoria instructors have been delivering the theory based part of the program in partnership with Yachting Victoria who have been delivering the practical component of the program. Over 8,300 students from 135 regional Victorian schools participated this year and it is hoped that this number will increase in 2005/2006. FACT SHEETS AND WATER SAFETY TIPS RLSSA developed fact sheets and Life Saving Victoria water safety tips provide guidelines for specific aquatic activities, including: Alcohol and water safety Boating safety Inland waterways safety Rescue safety For more information: (17%) WORN PROPERLY 1 (8%) NOT WORN, UNKNOWN IF PRESENT 6 (19%) ALCOHOL 12 (39%) NO ALCOHOL/ DRUGS 1 (8%) WORN, REMOVED IN WATER 4 (13%) DRUGS 7 (23%) UNKNOWN 6 (50%) PRESENT, NOT WORN 2 (17%) NOT PRESENT 2 (6%) ALCOHOL + DRUGS Figure 11 > Boating/rock fishing drownings in males (25-34yrs) and use of a PFD: Figure 12 > Alcohol and illicit drugs as contributing factors to drownings in males (25-34yrs):

20 [AGE 35-59] ADULTS There were 12 drownings in adults aged this year. This is 4 less than the average from (16). Three people tragically lost their lives whilst attempting to rescue a member of their family who had fallen into the water. All of these victims had limited or no swimming ability. The locations of drownings were primarily inland (6, 50%) or in coastal waterways (5, 42%), with 1 (8%) around the home environment. This trend is refl ected over the previous 4 years, , where the majority of drownings in adults (35-59yrs) occurred at the beach, bay or ocean (32, 50%), and rivers, creeks, lakes or dams (28, 44%) with less than 5% in home environments, such as the bath, spa bath or home pool. The majority of drownings over the past 5 years occurred while victims were engaged in recreational activities. These activities included, boating (22, 30%), swimming or playing in or around water (16, 22%), surfi ng/ windsurfi ng (5, 7%) or rock fi shing (4, 5%). Similar to the 25-34yr age group, all boating or rock fi shing incidents involved males. From there were 20 (71%) boating incidents in this age group where the victim was not wearing a PFD. In all rock fi shing incidents a PFD was not worn. In 14 (50%) cases from a PFD was available for use but was not worn. This highlights the importance of the Marine Safety Victoria message: Life jackets save lives. In both males and females approximately one third of incidents over the past 5 years involved alcohol (29%, Figure 14). Increased responsibilities, such as caring for a family, face adults at this stage of life. This brings with it the need to ensure parents or carers are aware of what to do in an aquatic emergency. Also at this stage other health conditions (eg. heart disease) begin to emerge as contributing factors to drowning incidents. The consumption of alcohol when involved in aquatic activities, in particular boating and fi shing, continues to be a signifi cant factor at this stage of life.

21 PREVENTION STRATEGIES Public awareness campaigns, signage and specific safety programs, aim to remind the community about water safety and to increase the awareness of water safety messages. FIRST AID AND RESUSCITATION Knowing how to respond in an emergency situation is critical. Life Saving Victoria offers courses in: Senior First Aid Emergency First Aid Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Oxygen Resuscitation Oxygen Equipment These skills could mean the difference and help save a life. AQUATIC SAFETY SIGNAGE Life Saving Victoria continues to play an active role in the development of both Australian and International Standards for water safety signage. Additionally, Life Saving Victoria is committed to increasing the number of aquatic locations with standardised risk and safety signage around Australia. BOATING SAFETY SIGNAGE Following the audit of all marine navigational aids and boating safety signage across Victoria in , Marine Safety Victoria commenced installing new boating safety signage around the State s waterways. This signage complements the Aquatic Safety Signage Guidelines. MARINE SAFETY VICTORIA SAFE BOATING PROGRAM AND PERSONAL WATER- CRAFT COURTESY RIDER PROGRAM Six Boating Safety Officers were appointed to MSV in December 2004 to provide boating safety advice to recreational boaters. The officers have been visiting various boat ramps and waterways around the State providing an interface with the boater on the water. The officers provide Victoria s recreational boaters with expert safety advice, conduct vessel and boat safety equipment checks and inspect waterway navigation aids and safety signage. Their role also includes undertaking lectures and seminars on boating safety to boating and fishing clubs around the State on a regular basis. The Personal Watercraft Courtesy Rider program was in operation for its 6th year over the last boating season targeting popular jetski locations around the State. This program aims to reduce the number of incidents and complaints related to the use of jetskis by encouraging safe and courteous behaviour BOATING SAFETY AND FACILITIES PROGRAM The Boating Safety and Facilities Program allocated $4.73 million in grants to improve boating safety and facilities across Victoria. 58 groups across the State received funding for nearly 100 projects aimed at making boating safer and more accessible for all Victorians. The grants program is funded through licensing fees and vessel registration, with more than $16 million being allocated to recreational boating facilities and safety initiatives since Funding in this year s program has been allocated to provide safety education and training, purchase search and rescue vessels, navigation aids and boating safety signage and upgrade or build boat ramps and jetties. 3 (11%) WORN PROPERLY 2 (7%) NOT WORN, 22 (29%) ALCOHOL 43 (55%) NO ALCOHOL / DRUGS 2 (7%) WORN, REMOVED IN WATER UNKNOWN IF PRESENT 2 (3%) DRUGS 9 (12%) UNKNOWN 14 (50%) PRESENT, NOT WORN 7 (25%) NOT PRESENT 1 (1%) ALCOHOL + DRUGS Figure 13 > Boating/rock fishing drownings in males (35-59yrs) and use of a PFD: Figure 14 > Alcohol and illicit drugs as contributing factors to drowning in adults aged 35-59yrs:

22 [AGE 60+] OLDER ADULTS Fifteen older adults drowned in Victoria this year, 5 more than the average over the previous 4 years (10). There was an increase in the number of males drowning in this age group 12 (80%) compared to the average from , 7 (69%). In one incident 2 men drowned when their boat capsized in rough seas whilst fi shing. Neither of the men were wearing a PFD. Coastal locations accounted for most of the 15 drownings, including, the ocean (5), beach (1) and the bay (1), compared with inland locations accounting for 2 drownings, 1 in a river and 1 in a lake. The other common locations for drownings in this age group were in baths (2), or home pools (4). These locations are also typically where drownings occurred from The majority being at the beach (21%) or in home pools (18%), followed by rivers or creeks (15%), baths or spa baths (13%) or in the ocean (10%). In many of the incidents involving older adults it is unknown what activity they were involved in just prior to drowning because the person was on their own at the time of the incident (63% from ). In these cases the person often left without telling anyone where they were going or what they would be doing. In those known cases this year, activities included fi shing from a boat (4), having a bath/ spa bath (2), sailing (1), swimming (1), walking near water (2). This is also typical of the types of activities over the previous 4 years from (Figure 15).

23 DROWNINGS / YR % ATTEMPTING A RESCUE BATHING / HAVING A SPA DRIVING / PASSENGER IN A MOTOR VEHICLE FISHING FROM A BOAT SAILING ACTIVITY SWIMMING, PADDLING OR WADING WALKING / PLAYING NEAR WATER OTHER / UNKNOWN Even experienced boaters are still taking risks at this stage of life by not wearing PFDs, checking the conditions of the waterway they are entering, or ensuring the upkeep of their vessel or safety equipment. This stage in life also holds different challenges with the likelihood that medical conditions associated with ageing may place older adults at increased risk of drowning. Certain pre-existing conditions and/or medications may affect one s physical abilities or mental capacity. Thus it is important to always have someone around when participating in recreational aquatic pursuits /2005 PREVENTION STRATEGIES Many of the water safety awareness campaigns and preventative measures directed towards older adults are targeted towards the entire community, and aim to invoke an understanding of water safety that people will carry with them throughout their lifetime. Figure 15 > Percentage of drownings per year by activity in older adults (60+ yrs): ACROSS THE LIFESPAN DROWNINGS / 100,000 PEOPLE VICTORIA /98 98/99 99/00 00/01 YEAR 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 Figure 16 > Rate of drownings in Victoria over 8 years of the Play It Safe by the Water campaign period: PLAY IT SAFE BY THE WATER This year is the eighth year of the Play It Safe by the Water campaign, a Victorian Government funded partnership with Life Saving Victoria, the Victorian Aquatic Industry Council and Surfing Victoria. The Play It Safe by the Water campaign aims to promote water safety across the Victorian Community, from the beach to inland waterways, the pool and in the home. Since the inception of the campaign the overall number of drownings has decreased from 1.38 per 100,000 in 1997 to 0.92 per 100,000 in 2005 (Figure 16). FACT SHEETS Fact sheets and water safety tips provide guidelines for aquatic activities, including: Supervision Resuscitation Home Water Safety Home Pool Safety Farm Water Safety Inland Waterways Safety Alcohol and water safety Boating Safety Rescue Safety Personal Floatation Device (PFD) Rock Fishing Safety For more information:

24 AT THE BEACH Going to the beach is a popular pastime with children and adults alike. There were more than 2 million beach visitations recorded by professional lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers at Victoria s 65 patrolled beaches in 2004/2005. The presence of lifesavers and lifeguards at the beach allows families and individuals to enjoy going to the beach with a feeling of safety. RESCUES YEAR Lifeguards Lifesavers Total Figure 17 > Rescues by lifeguards and lifesavers:

25 RESCUES During the 2004/2005 patrol season professional lifeguards rescued 309 people (Figure 17). The location and number of rescues conducted by professional lifeguards is represented in Figure 18. Lifeguards also attended to 38 major first aid cases (requiring further medical assistance) and 451 minor first aid cases. FIRST AID Once again the invaluable support of volunteer lifesavers is demonstrated in the provision of over 106,782 patrol hours, approximately 391 rescues and 1495 first aid treatments for the community First Aid cases per 10, YEAR Life Saving Victoria support services including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Westpac Rescue Fixed Wing and 6 metre Rigid Inflatable Rescue Boats provided 365 day response for lifesaving emergencies. They responded to 33 emergencies, 20 incident sightings and provided 592 operational hours. First Aid treatments / year Figure 18 > First Aid treatments by professional lifeguards: All data highlights the importance of the Play It Safe by the Water message: Always swim between the flags

26 RESCUE STATISTICS BY POSTCODE LEGEND RESCUES IN POSTCODE No. of rescues INCIDENTS IN POSTCODE No. of incidents Figure 19 > Victorian drowning incidents 2004/2005 showing number of incidents per postcode and number of rescues by professional lifeguards per postcode

27 LIFE SAVING VICTORIA 43 Dalgety Street, Oakleigh, Victoria Telephone: Facsimile:

28 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 03 MISSION AND VALUES 03 METHODS 03 OVERVIEW 04 DROWNINGS ACROSS THE LIFESTAGES 11 INFANTS AND TODDLERS (AGE 0-4 YRS) 12 CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADOLESCENTS (AGE 5-14 YRS) 14 YOUNG ADULTS (AGE YRS) 16 ADULTS (AGE YRS) 18 ADULTS (AGE YRS) 20 OLDER ADULTS (AGE 60+ YRS) 22 ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 23 AT THE BEACH 24 RESCUES 25 CITATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Life Saving Victoria, (2005). Victorian Drowning Summary 2004/2005, Life Saving Victoria, Melbourne. AUTHORS Dr Bernadette Matthews, Warwick Waters and Brooke Irvine Life Saving Victoria Life Saving Victoria acknowledges the assistance of the following organisations in preparing the Victorian Drowning Summary: Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner, Department of Justice The Victorian State Coroner s Office Australian Bureau of Statistics Marine Safety Victoria

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30 LIFE SAVING VICTORIA 43 Dalgety Street, Oakleigh, Victoria Telephone: Facsimile: