The Hodgman Liberal Government is proud to be part of a national portable pool safety campaign launched today, in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia.
As the weather warms up, many Tasmanian families will use portable pools to cool off this summer.
The "Don’t Duck Out" campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving small children unsupervised around portable pools, as the reality is that a small child can drown in as little as three centimetres of water.
Statistics show that children under five years old are at the greatest risk around portable pools, and that it only takes a few minutes for a child to lose consciousness and suffer brain injury.
Consumers must be aware of the responsibilities they take on when buying a portable pool, which may include putting up a safety barrier. Anyone thinking about purchasing a portable pool should take a few minutes to check out: www.productsafety.gov.au/makeitsafe.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is supporting the campaign through the distribution of a range of promotional materials, including videos, through the Consumer, Building and Occupational Services website and social media.
We don’t want any deaths or hospitalisations due to drowning this summer. Adults following the Don’t Duck Out, Make It SAFE tips, such as keeping constant watch of kids around portable pools, can reduce the risk and potentially save lives.
Supervise. Actively watch children within arm’s reach. Don’t leave older children in charge.
Act. Learn emergency response including CPR. It’s important to start compressions and breaths as soon as possible when a child is pulled from the water and to call triple zero (000) for help. If there are two people, one should make the phone call while the other does CPR.
Fence. In most parts of Australia, pools with more than 30 centimetres of water, are legally required to have a compliant safety barrier. Check with your local Council or Government agency.
Empty and store safely. After keeping watch all day, pour out water and put the pool away where children can’t reach. Never leave it where it can refill with rain or sprinkler water.
More details about the campaign are available on the Consumer, Building and Occupational Services website at www.cbos.tas.gov.au and on Facebook at the Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Tasmania page.
I encourage everyone looking after children to remain vigilant and enjoy the summer months in safety.
