Coastal safety, another year on
Water safety is an issue front and centre for so many Australians living on the coastal fringes, especially as we hit summer and beach usage hits its usual highs.
Last year we picked some highlights from the National Coastal Safety Report, and we’re here to take a look at this year’s report to see how things have tracked in 2022, beginning with the coastal drownings snapshot.
As Australians we tend to indulge in a bit of state parochialism, and Queenslanders, Victorians and Western Australians can take some comfort in seeing reduced numbers. However, there’s no pleasure whatsoever in seeing the uptick in numbers in the remaining states. Nationally there was a slight increase in total coastal drownings from 136 to 141.
The bare necessities
Concerningly, 6 in 10 Australian engaging in coastal activities can’t swim 50 metres in the ocean.
Would anyone try to operate a forklift, fix electrical cables, or even ride a bike with such fundamental skills lacking?
(unfortunately, the answer to this may be ‘yes’, but we’d wager not in such large numbers)
Staying below the limit…to swim?
Rightly or wrongly, Australia has a drinking culture, and it adds risk to many of our daily activities. Drink driving remains a problem, but is at least curbed by vigilance through prominent campaigning. The conversation around alcohol and the water is a much quieter one.
As these perception-based charts show, there is a strong sense that alcohol should not be involved when engaging in coastal activities. But the flipside isn’t negligible – despite alcohol consumption being a hindrance to safety, one in two land-based fishers and 3 in 10 swimmers believe it is reasonable to drink alcohol before undertaking coastal activities.
We’re lucky to have help at hand
On the upside, we’re blessed to have a highly proficient and dedicated crew of volunteers patrolling Australia’s beaches and waterways. It’s reassuring to know that if an emergency does happen, there are such qualified people at hand. Don’t feel the need to test it out though - when you’re saving lives, an uneventful day is a great day!
So stay safe as always this summer. Be realistic about your capabilities when tackling the surf, and be sensible about mixing alcohol with water activities (zero is the safest bet). You never know, it might just be the best summer ever!
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