Watch your kids, not your cell phone

A new Poolsafe campaign from the New Zealand Recreation Association is targeting parents distracted by cell phones. Supplied photo.

The New Zealand Recreation Association is reminding caregivers to keep an eye on their little ones at pools in their new Poolsafe campaign.

According to Water Safety New Zealand, on average six infants under the age of five drown each year with a further 34 hospitalised, with 87 per cent of these incidents attributed to inadequate adult supervision.

NZRA Aquatics Programme Manager Tracey Prince says the posters are designed to remind parents and guardians that accidents can happen in seconds.

'Even if there are plenty of lifeguards at a pool, putting down your cell phone and making sure there are no distractions can mean the difference between life and death. As a caregiver you should support the lifeguard by giving the kids your full attention.”

NZRA delivers the Poolsafe programme with Water Safety NZ, providing a way of assessing public pools to ensure that their operations and facilities are safe. Currently, over 140 public pools in New Zealand are members of the scheme.

'We think this is a great campaign that delivers a really important message in a really effective way,” says Water Safety NZ CEO Jonty Mills. 'It's timely because last year there were seven under-5 preventable fatalities – there really is no other answer than constant active adult supervision.”

The project was created by Massey University design graduate, Gretchen McAleer, who was inspired by her work as a lifeguard.

'I was a lifeguard for six years and the accidents and near misses that I witnessed in that time prompted me to do something about supervision awareness. Accidents can happen so quickly – I really hope that these Poolsafe posters make a difference.”

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5 comments

Oh how obvious!

Posted on 21-01-2018 11:15 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Yet the obsessive behaviour patterns of many a teen and adult when it comes to mobile phones is and has become completely absorbing. This is nothing less than an addiction of biblical proportions. If fact it has to be right up there with all the "white" substance (cocaine, sugar etc) addicitions and of course the effects on all who surround. Addicts cant see the effect or consequence of what they do, mobile phones are useful but have way to my impact upon to many.


Poor calligraphy celebrated too?

Posted on 21-01-2018 11:20 | By Captain Sensible

At first glance I saw " rou are mr life guard". I know bad grammar is celebrated in NZ as we race back to the stoneage, but now bad calligraphy as well?


Cell Phones

Posted on 21-01-2018 12:47 | By sangrae

Maybe there should be some sort of scanner at the pools entrance to block all cell phones, Just saying.


@ sangrae

Posted on 21-01-2018 13:55 | By astex

Trouble is that it is not only at the pools. At the beach the other day the caregiver of 3 very young kids, playing in the surf, was totally absorbed with her phone and was paying NO attention to what they were doing. Later yet another caregiver was so addicted with her cellphone she did not see one of her charges knocked over by a wave and assisted by an onlooker. Also by observation it seems to be mainly female caregivers that have this problem.


Basically unsupervised!

Posted on 21-01-2018 16:45 | By kinakat

Spend some time down at your local park and observe the level of care and attention some little kids are given.Its really disappointing and sad to see. Poor little kids for having such uncaring supervisors.


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