One in five parents admit to being distracted by their phone when supervising young swimmers around the pool, new research from Poolwerx shows.
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With 39 water-related deaths already reported this summer, Poolwerx is asking families and friends to nominate a Responsible Pool Person at every poolside event this summer to supervise the water fun with no distractions.
The healthy pool people invite Australians to pick up their free Responsible Pool Person hat from their local Poolwerx between January 20 - 25. Whoever wears the hat pledges to ensure safety is the number one priority around the pool.
Former Olympic swim coach Laurie Lawrence has backed the water safety campaign, reminding Australians never to be complacent around the pool.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted the number of swimming lessons young children have participated in this year, causing their confidence in and around the water to drop," he said.
"With 248 Australian lives tragically lost in 2020 due to drowning, we all need to be diligent in keeping our pools - and the people in them - safer this Summer. Poolwerx's Responsible Pool Person campaign helps ensure someone is always supervising, without any distractions."
John O'Brien, Poolwerx founder and CEO said the Responsible Pool Person campaign served as a visual reminder for parents to keep distractions at bay when supervising water play.
"Drowning is still the number one cause of preventable death in kids under five. It takes just a few seconds for something tragic to occur," he said.
"With the pool party season in full swing, Poolwerx encourages Aussies to don the traditional bucket hat, keep sun smart and be an at-home lifeguard to make sure our kids are safer by the water."
To ensure pool parties go off without a hitch this summer, Poolwerx have provided their top safety tips to check off before diving in.
1. Nominate a Responsible Pool Person to supervise - Nominate one or multiple people to act as a Responsible Pool Person and oversee those in and around the pool.
2. Ensure your pool is safe and secure - Check that all gates, fences and latches are in perfect working condition.
3. Ensure no climbables near the fence - Any furniture that leans against the pool fence can act as a ladder for young kids to scale fences without parental knowledge. Ensure the space around the pool is clear at all times.
You can pick up your Responsible Pool Person hat from the Poolwerx from their Moss Vale locations.
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