The recent Lion Air passenger plane crash into the sea shortly after taking off reminded me how much we actually undermine water. One would think that water is soft and that when you crash into it one would land gently, but that is far from the truth.
What many people do not know is that the surface tension of water makes hitting it at high speed the equivalent of hitting against concrete. Therefore, we should all treat water with the respect it deserves, whether crashing into it or swimming in it.
It is unfortunate that many people lose their lives to drowning on a yearly basis. Most of these drownings occur due to people’s inability to swim, as well as panic in water.
Drowning remains one of the top causes of unnatural childhood deaths in South Africa. For every child who perishes from drowning, five children involved in a near drowning experience are left with permanent brain damage. It takes only four minutes without oxygen for irreversible brain damage to occur. Drowning statistics indicate that every day more than one child dies due to drowning in South Africa.
The following are some of the safety rules to follow when near water:
• Do not let children go near swimming pools without supervision.
• Only fish where designated to fish and always with adult supervision.
• Do not walk or play on bridges or with gates near the canals.
• Do not fetch water from rivers and canals.
• Do not perform ritual practices along the rivers.
• Report children playing near rivers.
• Stay away from canal banks because they can be muddy and slippery.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) observes a Canal Awareness Campaign during the month of June. The importance of water safety is communicated throughout the country in an effort to curb the number of individuals who drown. The spring and summer seasons also become a time where most patrons travel to locations that have rivers, beaches, as well as swimming pools. DWS implores everyone to be careful around water and take special care that children do not play unsupervised.
Larry Crisp, communications in Department of Water and Sanitation
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