Let’s all swim safer, says Council

With Summer fast approaching, Central Coast Council will support SwimSAFER Week from November 18-24 promoting safe swimming practices.

Council’s Learn to Swim Schools support the initiative in partnership with Swim Australia and AUSTSWIM every year, helping children and adults to build essential water safety skills to be confident in the water.

Director Community and Recreation Services Melanie Smith said learning to swim was a fundamental preventative measure to ensure safety for the community in and around pools, beaches, and our local waterways.

“Pool safety is a major community issue, as home pools are associated with a high risk of drowning, particularly for children aged up to four years,” she said.

“Throughout the week, our swim programs will educate kids and their parent/carers about swim safety by focusing on five key factors: critical survival strokes and reach rescues, the importance of floating and treading water, essential water safety signals for help, comfort under the water, and swimming without goggles.

“Council’s Learn to Swim program has qualified and experienced swimming instructors teaching all ages from six-months-old, and the message we want to convey is that learning to swim at any age will offer protection for ourselves and our families.”

Mayor Lawrie McKinna said swimming was not just a sporting activity, but also a life-saving skill.

“This year, SwimSAFER Week focuses on the essential skill of floating, and the survival steps required during a water emergency,” he said.

“This is particularly important with SwimSAFER revealing that 45 per cent of children have poor or average floating ability.

“Water safety starts at home with the supervision of our children around water, enrolling in Learn to Swim classes, being aware of water conditions and knowing basic first aid and CPR.”

For more information about SwimSAFER week, search ‘learn to swim’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au