Water Safety New Zealand

Water Safety NZ - Tis The Season To Remember Water Safety

Last summer, ten New Zealanders drowned between 4pm Christmas Eve and 6am January 5th. In a year that has already seen 117 Kiwis lose their lives to drowning (30 more than last year’s total figure), Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) is calling for caution and reminding holidaymakers about the basic water safety precautions.

Water Safety NZ: Drowning Toll Rises by 46%

15 Drowning deaths in the month of February have taken the national drowning toll for the first two months of 2011 to 35; this is a 46% increase in the number of fatalities compared with the same period for 2010 when 24 deaths had been recorded.
During February there have been seven Recreational drownings, four Non-Recreational and four classified as Other which includes road vehicle and commercial incidents confirmed by Water Safety New Zealand.

DEADLY HOLIDAY PERIOD FOR AQUATIC INCIDENTS

Ten drownings over the official Xmas and New Year holiday period is a tragic yet sadly predictable figure according to Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ). Ten drownings for the period is three more than the five year average (2005/2006 – 2009/2010) of seven drowning fatalities.

“A lot of attention is paid to the road toll but drownings also peak during this time of year and, given the number of incidents where good fortune has contributed to survival, we are lucky that the number of drownings has not in fact surpassed road deaths,” comments Matt Claridge, General Manager, WSNZ.

Report from Water Safety NZ AGM, and YNZ AGM 2010

The Water Safety NZ AGM was held in Wellington on Tuesday 19th (Wellington) and I managed to get along to most of it. The YNZ AGM was held on October 2nd which I did not attend (Auckland). Reports from WNZ to both these AGMs are attached.

DROWNING hospitalisations increase dramatically

Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) today released drowning statistics for the months of July and August (fatal) and Hospitalisation (non-fatal) data. The statistics are at odds with one another, as fatal data reveals a continuation of lower than normal drowning incidents through 2010 to date. Non-fatal data indicates a rising trend which is worrying for water safety professionals.

Water Safety Phd Scholarship - New Zealand

NZ$25,000 per annum is being offered for a three year Doctoral (PhD) Scholarship to support the Research Strategy of Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ). The PhD Scholarship will be provided through a partnership with the University of Otago, School of Physical Education and is now open to suitably qualified applicants.

Position Available - Water Safety New Zealand

INFORMATION ANALYST. Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) provides leadership within the water safety sector in New Zealand. This includes a vital role in water safety education, awareness and prevention initiatives in the community. The Information Analyst is responsible for the management of WSNZ’s databases; answering statistical queries and assisting prepare policy related documents.

Water Safety New Zealand and University of Otago, PhD Scholarship

One 3-year PhD scholarship (stipend $25,000 p.a. + negotiable costs) is available in 2010 to conduct research which will support the Research Strategy of Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ). Research Themes: 1. The impact of socio-economic and cultural factors on water safety; 2. Identifying the causes of drowning incidents and the factors that increase survival in potential drowning situations; 3. Producing ‘tools’ to monitor and evaluate water safety strategies. Research Priorities: 1. Reducing the risk of drowning among males; 2. Learning to swim and survive. Location: School of Physical Education, Division of Sciences, University of Otago, New Zealand.

Water Safety New Zealand

Windsurfing New Zealand has a long relationaship with WSNZ
Below is latest funding application details
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1. A memo articulating Water Safety New Zealand’s (WSNZ) 2010-2011 funding process;
2. WSNZ’s Funding Procedures;
3. WSNZ Funding Application Templates.
4. Project template

A hard copy of these files has been posted to your office.

Should you desire any further information please contact me accordingly.

Alexander Brunt
Advisor - Policy & Planning
Water Safety New Zealand

New Watersafety NZ website and 2009 Drowning report

Water Safety NZ have launched their new website and also released the 2009 Drowning Report. Not sure if windsurfing fits under 'sailing' or not but statistically it looks like sailing is about the safest thing you can do on the water (5 year average 1% of all drownings compared to around 10% each for power boats, boating and fishing). Click More for details and the report in pdf format.