A $170,000 Water Safety Fund Community Grant to help Central Coast children learn to swim and improve their water safety skills, has been announced by Member for Terrigal, Mr Adam Crouch.
Mr Crouch said Surf Life Saving Central Coast was successful in its application for funding under the Saturated Surf Education Program.
“The Central Coast has some of the busiest beaches in NSW, and this funding will help increase water safety skills for thousands living and visiting this beautiful part of the world,” Mr Crouch said.
“This surf education initiative will target beachgoers and recreational swimmers, increasing the knowledge and awareness of water safety hazards and risks,” he said.
“We want to see a decrease in risk taking behaviour and smarter choices around the water.”
Mr Crouch said the program would also benefit students as the Saturated Surf Education Program includes water safety presentations to Central Coast primary schools, to more than 23,000 students per annum for two years.
It includes: a four-hour at the beach Surf Fun Day program for children aged eight to 13 years, every day in term four, for over two years; a rip awareness campaign; eight summer surf education programs for beachgoers to learn about surf hazards and swimming at unpatrolled beaches; an information day at Newcastle University to educate international students about water safety at beaches; an Aboriginal water safety day for local students; and a two-day surf survival program delivered to local high schools to educate them on water safety survival skills.
Emergency Services Minister for NSW, Mr Troy Grant, said the NSW Government was committed to improving water safety and reducing the number of preventable deaths in the water.
“Our message is clear, where there is water, there is danger,” Mr Grant said.
Surf Life Saving Central Coast CEO, Mr Chris Parker, said he expressed his appreciation of the NSW Government’s support.
“All at Surf Life Saving Central Coast are extremely proud to see the NSW Government recognise how important their programs are to reduce the currently high drowning rates in NSW,” Mr Parker said.
“The funding will enable SLSCC to educate over 70,000 Central Coast residents in vital surf safety and rescue skills that they will maintain for life,” he said.
Source:
Media release, Oct 30
Kerryanne Delaney, office of Adam Crouch