SINGAPORE : By the end of August, every public swimming pool
will have a defibrillator, and staff trained to use them.
This is part of the Singapore Sports Council's efforts to improve
water safety measures.
There are also emergency rescue plans, daily inspection of pools
and safety equipment and rules on student-to-swimming-instructor
ratio.
All pools also have trained lifeguards on duty at all times.
Announcing this in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister for Community
Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan said every single
death by drowning was one too many.
Between 2001 and 2004, there was an average of 17 cases of drowning
each year.
41 percent occurred at sea, 13 percent in rivers and 10 percent in
swimming pools and reservoirs.
The SSC will also work with other organisations like the Singapore
Life Saving Society to improve swimming safety in private pools and
other water-bodies.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "At the same time, SSC is looking at
encouraging more youths to learn swimming as a life-skill. If a
person is able to swim, he is less likely to drown.
"SSC is working closely with MOE (Education Ministry) to encourage
schools to make greater use of SSC pools for swimming lessons. SSC
will also be working closely with the Singapore Swimming
Association to encourage more Singaporeans to take up
swimming."
A Childhood Injury Prevention Programme (CHIPP) under the Health
Promotion Board has also been emphasising water safety in its
preventive and public education outreach programmes.
For 2005, CHIPP's theme is "Safety at Play". CHIPP is disseminating
swimming safety tips to parents, caregivers and children through
direct public educational programmes such as road shows,
exhibitions, educational puppet shows, seminars, talks, interactive
exhibits and games activities. - CNA/de