LEADING safety agencies Kidsafe Victoria, Life Saving Victoria and Farmsafe Australia have urged regional families to set up safe play areas and actively supervise children around water, in a bid to reduce the number of childhood drownings on farms.
While farms provide fantastic opportunities and environments for children, Jason Chambers, general manager of Kidsafe Victoria, said it’s important to be aware that they are also have a number of unique water hazards not commonly found in a suburban home.
“Farms and regional properties often contain a number of different bodies of water such as dams, troughs, irrigation channels, water tanks, rivers and lakes, all which can pose a potential drowning hazard for children,” Mr Chambers said.
According to statistics from the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, 29 per cent of toddler (0-4 years) drownings in 2021/22 occurred in bodies of water such as lakes, dams, rivers, and creeks.
Dr Bernadette Matthews, general manager - health promotion and communications with Life Saving Victoria, highlighted the importance of dressing children in brightly coloured clothing, having an emergency plan in place and teaching children to swim.
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“Parents and carers of children really do need to prioritise enrolling kids into in swim classes to learn about safety in and around water and ensuring you update your own CPR qualification,” Dr Matthews said.
Farmsafe Australia chair Felicity Richards said ensuring all children are wearing brightly coloured clothing can make them easier to spot.
“Avoid dressing kids in dull greens, browns, or greys, and instead opt for something brighter that stands out in all environments,” Ms Richards said.
“This can help you spot them before they slip away and make it easier to find them if they do go missing.
“It’s good advice for kids on farms generally to wear bright clothes. It's much easier to see a child from a tractor or other farm machinery if they're in high visibility colours.”
Mr Chambers highlighted that toddlers were particularly at risk of drowning due to their curiosity and top-heavy nature.
"Twenty seconds and a few centimetres of water is all it takes for a toddler to drown,” he said.
"Toddlers are attracted to water, however they don't understand the dangers that it can pose. Due to their top-heavy nature, they can easily topple over into the water while leaning over or reaching for an object."
Farm water safety tips
• Teach children water safety skills so that they are water confident such as learn to swim classes.
• Make sure children are actively always supervised by an adult when in or around water. For toddlers, this means having an adult within arm’s reach.
• Set up a safe play area away from water hazards such as dams. The play area should be securely fenced, located close to the house, and equipped with adequate shade, as well as a range of fun and engaging activities for children.
• Ensure that water storage areas, such as wells and tanks, are securely covered.
• Remove items floating in dams, where practical, that may attract children into the water.
• Fill in unused holes where water can gather, such as ditches, dips, and post holes.
• Learn CPR and regularly update your skills.
