Drownings

Isn't it sad the amount of drownings we have in NZ.

Surely something can be done to correct it?

I'm inclined to think that maybe (for the most part) it's Darwinian Evolution at work.

People just need to screw their heads on and not take stupid risks, either themselves, or with their children.

Totally agree with you cauld, most of the drownings lately (most not all) have been because of people not using common sense when in the water or not taking appropriate care of there friends and family who arnt able to take care of themselves in the water.

Yeah it does sound harsh but its true. The thing is there are so many water safety ads on tv and stuff we 've all hear a million times to swin between the flags and other similar advice but it just doesn't get through to some people

Agreed. Natural selection / Darwinian Evolution.

However, I think sometomes people aren't always stupid, yet underestimate the risks. In that sense educating people about the risks (somehow) could help. The problem with the current education I reckon is that it says too much stuff like "Always swim between the flags" and "don't swim in swollen rivers" which is too cut and dry. People are going to do otherwise - myself included. You try swimming between the flags in Whangamata over the new Year, it's so packed!

It'd be good if they could teach people how to assess whether a river is too dangerous to swim in, to test the current somehow and focussing more on how to escape rips, big waves etc. They used to do more of this, I'm sure. It's probably expensive eh?

Hmm, maybe it is all just stupid people. Kinda like a 4 year old drowning in the spa pools at the Aquatic centre where I swim. Stupid parents not watching their kids, if you ask me - despite big warning signs telling people to watch their kids, and that childrne under x years must be accompanied by a parent. The pool staff can't be everywhere at once - so people have to take responsiblity for themselves and their small kids.

Hey, that's off topic. Oops.

yes very sad, wow Voice You venture into this room also

Gezz, I am a resident geek in this place.

Hmm, so what do you think could be done better to prevent drownings?

Parent education eh? Swimming pools can't be used as childcare centres! Its like letting your kids run around in a supermarket carpark on a busy Saturday. Danger!!!
Perhaps safety leaflets for parents at pool entrances...sadly, these last two deaths are probably the best prevention for drownings. You'd have to be a real hardass to think "never happen to my kid." Shit DOES happen.

True. I swim both at Tawa and Porirua. Tawa is far the better place to swim, not so many kids and noise.

But you see parents either talking or reading a book, as there little kids are playing. The things you see are shocking :0(

It's this.
A calm patch in a surf beach.
Don't swim there, ever.

I think all that advertising's stuck to me.

Yes I agree, the advertising that they are doing currently is great. But do the people who need to see it, see it!!!!

Just like the speed, drinking ads...The people that know it already, watch the ads. The ones that think they know it, change the channel

Education is the only way.

I've been a life gaurd for 4 years... if it wasn't for us there would be a LOT more drownings each year.

Only 1 person has ever drowned between the flags... voiceinsideyou, maybe it is that clear cut, stay between the flags i know it's packed, but if the government perhaps paid more lifegaurds more patrolled areas could be opened on beaches.

all too easy for people to overestimate their abilities and not realise that they can't get out of trouble when they're already there. the advertising is good, - but for some it just won't work.

the drink/drive ads work on me - every time i'm driving and get offered a drink I just see those ads. then again, maybe we could have some really vivid ads with people drowning?

aims: Indeed, but if staying between the flags means fighting it out and having no room to goddam move on either the beach or the water - people are just not going to do that.

I'm pointing out the realities of the situation - if people perceive adhering to the 'rules' is going to be costly to them, they may underestimate the risk and then swim outside the flags to avoid the mass of people.

What if its an unpatrolled beach? Should we just not swim there? Fuck that!

I think it's all abut empowering people to get out of difficult situations - telling them how to avoid rips etc. People have to learn to do things for themself, not banking on the lifeguards if they fuck up. And if they make stupid decisions, they die, and that's that really.

voice: word to that!

People in this country have been cultured into not taking any responsibility for themselves (ACC, Dole ad nauseum..)

Yeah, but I'm a hard-assed bastard. *grin* It's a bit like that idiot who walked up Mt Ngarauhoe (sp?) with just an umbrella and nearly died. What a fuck-up. As I've posted earlier, natural selection is all good in many cases!

It's not usually the NZers that are pulled from the water voiceinsideyou....
I agree, education is the only way... it's hard for me, because i can see danger in water as i have been around it all my life sooo yeah, ur old enough educate yourself!

Sunshine - per capita and proportional mileage of ocean to land we have one of the lowest drowning rates in the world. Looks at the stats : There has NEVER been a fatal drowning within the flags and a Lifeguard patrolled beach. Big thumbs up to the guys and gals who devote alot of their own spare time with no pay to be out there on the days where the last thing you want to do is work.

Definately Exodus, but I'm not generally talking about drownings at sea, its the pool drownings that are freakin crazy. For instance; two 4 years old die in one week in a pool with over 4/6 lifeguards and 100's of people. Now I know that this is probably a freak accident, but where the fark are the 4 years parents when this is happening, it does take 3 mins before you officially drown.

Being a parent of a 4 year old myself, and attend a pool 4 days a week, I think that something needs to get through to these parents. I'm sick of watching kids run, jump, and dive as there parents are sitting on the side reading, or talking.

Once again my opinion.

PS: Maybe we are the lowest drowning rates in the world at the moment, but I can see it steadily rising can't you

Hope I didn't step on anyones toes

You hate me now Exodus eh!!!! Not the other way round

hehe exodus, there has been one drowning, one girl drowned inbetween the flags @ piha the other week

Yeah, they have had to change the ads that claim there has never been a drowning between the flags.

Alot of fishermen drown because of their own stupidity. I like fishing but when it's 6-8 feet on the west coast you don't go fishing off the rocks. You don't need signs in different languages to stop people doing this, it's common sense. With Piha, I never really noticed because i'm always on a board but lately i've been swimming there and the under currents and rips are just so strong. If I had kids I wouldn't be letting them swim there by themselves, they simply don't have the strength to fight mother nature. Cauld put it nicely "Darwinian evoloution" is occuring too weed out these less intelligent beings.

aims -

i know exodus, sad eh... just a younging too

i know exodus, sad eh... just a younging too

oops double click

Went to the pool last night, and looked at the spa pool where the 4 year old drowned.....Farking disturbing, they just had the tapu lifted!!!

110 people were swimming the time the 4yr old drowned and there were 4 life guards, which is the recommend amount.

I'm still shocked!!!

i went to the pools yesterday. saw 2 little kids that could have drowned..people need education, the parents need to b more responsible but u cant teach that to some of them

*sigh* people are stupid.

I agree Mikeyc they are