Member for The Entrance David Mehan is calling for a review of safety signage at The Entrance Channel after an 11-year-old boy drowned when swept out to sea by a strong current on November 3.
The boy had been crossing the channel from north to south with his father and three brothers.
“Our whole community shares in the sorrow being felt by the family of the boy at this time,” Mehan said.
“I want to express my thanks for the efforts made by local emergency services to locate the child.
“In the aftermath of this tragedy, we should review safety precautions at The Entrance Channel.”
Mehan said the spot was a popular tourist location, with many visitors coming from a non-English speaking background.
“After the death of two fishers in the channel in 2016 I asked Central Coast Council to review signage and consider language appropriate warnings,” he said.
“The review reduced sign clutter and improved warning clarity.
“However, language appropriate warnings were rejected in favour of pictorial warning graphics.
“I will be asking the new Council to again review safety arrangements in the channel, and to reconsider its position on language appropriate warnings.” Mehan said.
I wrote after the story reporting the tragic drowning of a boy last week that Council should consider installing a rescue torpedo at The Channel. On my walk this morning I saw that there was already one there at the base of the stairs below Fairport St. Despite the many times I have used those stairs for fishing and surfing etc I’d not noticed it. It’s important that people who have the ability to perform a rescue know the location of this equipment, myself included!
Why does it take the death of someone to put more signs out
There are already 3 warning signs on and at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the water .. two of those signs use internationally recognised pictorials.
a rescue flotation device is also installed just a few metres from the water.