By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CHILDREN from several Casey primary schools were taught how to stay alive in water at Lysterfield Lake last week.
It comes after the fatal drowning of a five-year-old boy at the lake in February last year.
There have been three reported drowning deaths at Lysterfield Lake since 1 July 2000, according to Life Saving Victoria (LSV) statistics.
The Open Water Learning Experience program, organised by LSV, ran at the lake for two sessions on Tuesday.
It taught children the water skills needed to help others in an emergency.
“We aim to run the program in a local open water environment that participants may already be familiar with, or are likely to visit, to make them aware of potential hazards and dangers and to develop skills and knowledge to enjoy their local water environment safely,” LSV general manager of education services Kate Simpson said.
The program’s activities include rescue strategies and how to use everyday items to perform a rescue.
Students also practise important survival techniques as well as how to enter and leave the water safely, and take part in safe body-boarding.
The two-hour sessions were subsidised by Casey council and attended by students from Narre Warren North, Cranbourne East and Devon Meadows primary schools.
“We find that cost is often a barrier for schools to participate in external programs, so accessing community grants enables us to subsidise costs and attract more schools to participate in our programs,” Ms Simpson said.
It’s understood 47 per cent of drowning deaths in 2013-2014 occurred at inland waterways, according to LSV.
The Open Water Learning Experience program is offered to schools and community groups across Victoria with a number of tours into regional areas.
LSV will be running the same program at Lysterfield Lake for seniors, aged 60 years plus, next month.
In January 2013, a Cranbourne West man drowned at Lysterfield Lake while trying to rescue two children who had been using a dinghy.
The children made it back to shore unharmed.
For more information, visit www.lifesavingvictoria.com.au.
