Dr Jeff WilksSurf Life Saving Australia

Tourists andWater Safety

Important Selection Considerations

from: FutureBrand

Country Brand Index

Best Country Brand for Beach 2006

1. Bahamas (1)

2. Maldives (2)

3. Fiji + (4)

4. Brazil

5. Greece + (8)

6. Australia - (3)

7. Jamaica - (5)

8. Dominican Republic

9. Thailand - (7)

10. Cuba

Pristine beaches, from remote to mainstream

Drowning is a leading cause of tourist deaths Tourists recognised as an ‘at risk’ group

requiring assistance (Australian Water Safety Council)

Poor swimming ability Unfamiliar environment/activities Language barriers Holiday behaviour International review of travellers and water

safety (2006) recommended lifeguard services

Tourist Water Safety

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

16 17 14 7 13 9 816 14 12 6 12 9 7

0 3 2 1 1 0 1

4 11 8 1 7 1 4Females

Males

O/s tourists

Total

Years

Seven-year comparison of Drowning Deaths in QLD

2001 4 Indian (1), Japanese (1), Chinese (1), English (1)

2002 11 Chinese (2), Singaporean (1), English (3), Swiss (1), Japanese (3), South African (1)

2003 8 English (2), Japanese (2), Czech Rep (1), German (1), Fijian (1), Taiwanese (1)

2004 1 German (1)

2005 7 Korean (1), Vietnamese (1), Austrian (1), Irish (1), Singaporean (1), Chinese (1), Asian (1)

2006 3 Japanese (2), Indian (1)

2007 4 Korean (2), English (1), Slovakian (1)

International Drowning Deaths by Nationality

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling Deaths – QLD

35 diving and 23 snorkelling deaths 1998-2005

Majority of deaths involved international visitors – most from English speaking countries

USA (25), GB (10), Australian (9), Germany (3), Netherlands (3), France (2), Japan (2), Canada (1), China (1), Singapore (1), Columbia (1)

Snorkel deaths – cardiac events (15), hypoxic blackout (4), drowning (9), Irukandji envenomation (2)

Dive deaths – cardiac (8), Cerebral arterial gas embolism (6), drowning (4)

Poor dive skills; buddy separation

No standardised databases or consistent sources of information

Web and newspapers provide ‘snapshot’

Third tourist drowning in Phuket in two

days – Sunday 15 July 2007 – 32 year old Saudi (swimming, large wave

engulfed him) Singaporian tourist drowned while swimming

on the same beach the day before A Russian national died while swimming at

another beach on Saturday

Asia Pacific findings

Legal Considerations It is well established that those in charge of beaches

owe a duty of care to swimmers using beaches under their control

The extent to which local authorities and resorts will be held liable for inadequate supervision and warnings is in a state of refinement - Beach Safety and the Law Summit

Enright v Coolum Resort Pty Ltd (2002)

EU Directive on Package Travel

Jones v Sunworld – resorts may have duty of care responsibilities for lagoons

General duties under Workplace Health and Safety

500 m

www.beachsafety.qut.edu.au

ALS performance SLSA Lifeguard Actions during the 2006-2007 season

Lives Saved (Rescues) 2,218

Resuscitations 35

First Aid Treatments 4,406

Stings 6,706

Preventative Actions 255,732

The chance of drowning at a beach protected by lifeguards is estimated to be less than one in 18 million (USLA)

Case Study Fiji Outrigger Resort

Lifeguards in both public and private settings

Staff education and training (first aid, CPR, defibrillators)

Regular water safety audits and inspections, including signage

Annual accreditations under WHS legislation

A managed ‘serious injury’ database for the Asia Pacific region

Best practice