News Article

Lifesavers to patrol Lake Eildon on Australia Day

eildon

Want to read more articles like these?

Jan 25, 2023

LIFESAVERS will patrol inland waterways to coincide with the Australia Day public holiday when thousands of Victorians will flock to their favourite swimming spots, following a spate of drownings in rivers, lakes and dams.

The likelihood of drowning in Victoria increases by more than two-thirds on a public holiday and Life Saving Victoria has identified Australia Day as a high-risk period.

Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes joined Life Saving Victoria (LSV) leaders and lifesavers on the banks of the Yarra River to highlight the risks of being in or around inland waterways, and to deliver an urgent safety message to everyone looking to enjoy the water on Australia Day.

There have been 29 fatal drownings in Victoria since July 2022, four more than the 10-year average, and 11 since December 1. Almost half of the deaths occurred in inland waterways such as rivers, creeks, streams and lakes.

In addition to more than 60 patrolled coastal areas, LSV lifesavers will patrol swimming spots at Lysterfield Lake, Lake Nagambie, Lake Eildon and Lake Waranga between 10am and 6pm tomorrow. Support will also be provided by the LSV drone and Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter services.

ESTA emergency field staff will also be stationed at LSV’s communications centre in Port Melbourne for the first time, providing additional information on emergency events to LSV patrol crews across the state.

This builds on the successful deployment of ESTA staff to Incident Control Centres during the floods to co-ordinate water rescues.

To make sure everyone gets home safely, swimmers should always check the conditions of the water including the depth and currents, swim at patrolled locations, wear a lifejacket when boating or fishing, avoid drinking alcohol and going out in the water, always supervise children and never swim alone.

Swimming isn’t the only way people can get into trouble in the water – four in five boating or fishing-related drowning deaths in the past decade involved incorrect or no lifejacket use.

As part of the Victorian Budget 2022/23, the Victorian Government is delivering $11.9 million to help keep people safe around water, including funding for LSV to continue valuable water safety programs at public pools and helping more Victorians improve their swimming and water skills.

Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said, “Our lifesavers and lifeguards do an incredible job protecting people and saving lives – but it’s vital that individuals play their part by doing the right thing and staying safe when around the water. Just because there are no waves at your favourite swimming spot doesn’t mean it’s without risk. We want everyone to enjoy our beautiful waterways, but we also want them all to come home at the end of the day.”

Life Saving Victoria General Manager of Lifesaving Services Liam Krige added, “It’s a misconception that drowning mainly happens on the coast. People are almost three times more likely to drown at an inland waterway in Victoria. We’re urging Victorians to remember that your safety is your responsibility. If we can’t see you, we can’t save you, so make sure you seek out one of our more than 65 patrolled locations across coastal and inland waters.”

...continue reading the full article by subscribing to our weekly, monthly or annual subscription here.

If you see a photo in the paper of your child, grandchild, partner, or friend we can supply you with a copy to put on your wall as long as Alexandra Newspapers took the photo (we cannot provide a copy of a photo that was taken by a third party).

Alexandra Newspapers is proud to distribute our two primary publications through newsagents, supermarkets, petrol stations and many other outlets across the Murrindindi Shire and beyond.

Alexandra Newspapers offers display and classified advertisements as well the ability to promote your business. Both the Alexandra Standard and the Yea Chronicle offer classified ads for: Births, Deaths, Marriages, Situations Vacant, For Sale, Garage Sale, In Memoriam, Happy Birthday, Anniversary, Public Notice, Meetings, Automotive, Car/Caravan/Motorbikes/Boats. For Rent/Lease, and Wanted.

Alexandra Newspapers can provide commercial printing of plans, posters, business stationery, invoice and receipt books, self-inking stamps and more. Reach out to us for any commercial printing jobs here.

Grab a copy of the weekly newspaper or reach out to us here for subscribing an offline newspaper copy.

Like, comment and share the article on your facebook page.

Recognising mental health

Recognising mental health

THIS year’s World Mental Health day, held on October 10, is themed...
Pamela Thompson publishes picture book

Pamela Thompson publishes picture book

PAMELA Thompson visited the Alexandra Library last week to celebrate the publication...

Want to read more articles like these?

© 2020 - 2024. ALEXANDRA NEWSPAPERS. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap

Website built with ❤ by Regional Business Toolkit