Life Saving Victoria visits schools to teach water safety ahead of the summer break
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter has been out and about, with Lifesaving Victoria members passing on their summer safety messages. See the shocking stats they want to avoid this summer.
South East
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Victorian life savers are set for a busy summer with hundreds of thousands of people ready to flock to beaches as the weather heats up.
Coming off the worst drowning toll in more than two decades in 2018-19, where 56 lives were lost, Life Saving Victoria is hoping to raise awareness this week with school visits.
Yesterday the Westpac Rescue Helicopter visited Noble Park English Language School and Hampton Park Secondary College to educate students.
Life Saving Victoria’s lifesaving support officer Liam O’Callaghan said they are encouraging students to look out for their own and others’ safety around water this summer.
“We are encouraging students to be aware and prepared before they enter the water, be it at the beach, pool, or inland waterways,” said Mr O’Callaghan.
“We will be asking students to think about their surroundings and how they can be safe, by reading the safety signs to understand hazards, swimming at beaches patrolled by lifesavers and always swimming with a friend.”
A 46 per cent increase in coastal waterway drownings and a 49 per cent increase in inland waterway drownings compared to the 10-year average was also recorded last year.
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The Westpac Rescue Helicopter is used to patrol Victoria’s busy coastline year-round, as well as providing valuable back-up support for other state emergencies and search and rescue operations.
The service assists in incidents such as search and rescue of lost swimmers, shark patrols, beacon location (EPIRB homing), missing boats and fishermen in distress, as well as other incidents as tasked by emergency services.