By Danuta Kozaki and Clare Blumer
Fourteen people have lost their lives in NSW after getting into trouble in water during the Christmas period, leaving rescue workers to warn it is the “season of distractions” that can quickly prove fatal.
“It is definitely the season of distractions — the knock at the door, the ringing phone, other children crying out for assistance; they are the things that take our attention away from backyard swimming pools.”
Michael Ilinsky, a spokesman for the Royal Life Saving New South Wales, is addressing the current spike in holiday drownings.
It has been a disastrous start to summer, with 14 people dying in drowning incidents, three of them toddlers and one a teenage boy.
The unusually high number of deaths has highlighted the greater danger water poses during the holidays, Mr Ilinsky said.
He said all beaches, pools and rivers posed risks to swimmers, especially children.
So, what are the factors that lead to drownings and how can people stay safe this summer?
Is the number of deaths unusual?
Yes, it is an unusually high death toll for the season.
Surf Life Saving NSW spokesman Liam Howitt said there had been a variety of factors contributing to the spike in drownings.
“It certainly has been the highest [death toll] we have seen over the festive season,” Mr Howitt said.
“That spike is not just in the surf, but in backyard pools, and inland rivers and lakes.”
“Obviously it’s the festive season, as well, so people do things like having a drink to celebrate during that time, and that can potentially cause people to make bad decisions around the water.”