Drowning is the most common cause of preventable death of children aged 0–5 years. Over the past five years, 16 toddlers have drowned in Western Australia. For every drowning death, it is estimated that 10 children are admitted to hospital following a near-drowning incident (160 children over the past five years).
In WA, domestic swimming pools are the most common site in which drowning for children aged 0–5 years occurs, with 94 per cent of drowning incidents at locations in and around the home. Of that 94 per cent, 31 per cent occurred at a relative or neighbour’s home.
These tragic incidents can be significantly reduced if we are all aware of the potential hazards of water in our everyday life, use simple prevention methods and learn the life saving skill of resuscitation.
There are specific laws in WA that mandate the installation of a safety barrier to enclose private swimming and spa pools.
The laws are intended to protect the safety of young children by restricting their access to the area containing the swimming or spa pool.