Danger signals !

It seems that Australia is facing a drowning epidemic.   The number of people who lose their life in water accidents is steadily climbing despite stringent fencing rules being applied to backyard swimming pools and the untiring efforts of the Surf Lifesaving movement which patrol our beaches.

Australia has changing demographics which play a big part in this phenomenon.    The tide of migrants making this country home no longer comes mainly from Europe and many of the new settlers come from landlocked countries in Africa and the Middle East.   As a result, they are inexperienced when it comes to the dangers of our beach culture.

One of the dangers is the seemingly safe appearance of the ocean on the average beach day.   Other people are frolicking safely in the surf and to the untrained eye there is no indication that a rip can suddenly make an appearance or undertow develop.   This danger is magnified if the swimmer has chosen an unpatrolled beach.   The margin between safety and disaster is slim - and panic increases the risk in favour of drowning.

Religion can also have an impact on water safety.    Islamic dress codes decree that both genders are covered from wrist to ankle and so both the bikini and shorts are not a comfortable choice for those who come here from an Islamic country.   As a result, many such people are non swimmers and are vulnerable in boat accidents or flood situations.   Leisure activities such as rock fishing are particularly dangerous for those lacking the ability to save themselves in water accidents.

This situation can only deteriorate unless we increase the education factor to ensure that the ability to swim is part of every school curriculum.   We live in a country entirely surrounded by water and it is likely that every citizen will at some point in their lives face a situation when water poses danger.

Making water safety an integral part of the education system will take a degree of  culture diplomacy.   It will be necessary to consult with the Islamic community to arrive at a form of swimming costume that meets the criteria of religious modesty and separate gender swimming classes may be necessary to satisfy other religious principles.

Sport is part of the Australian culture, and making swimming a compulsory school sport is the logical dual objective of bestowing water safety on the entire spectrum of emerging citizens.   It should be a goal that no child completes their education without achieving the ability to swim to safety in a water accident.

We can beg and plead for this to apply to the adult population, but if we are to succeed in improving future drowning figures - the key is to teach all the kids to swim !