“Aussie Families on Alert: A Chilling Ocean Encounter Unveiled!”

An Australian mother has highlighted the significance of a less commonly recognized ability that she claims saved her life and that of her siblings during their youth, as many Australians prepare for increased aquatic activities this summer.

Tiffany, a swimming instructor and mother of two from South Australia, worries that if they had not learned how to “float for survival,” a frightening experience in the ocean could have been fatal for the trio who were enjoying a swim at Moonta Beach years ago. Back then, Tiffany was a teenager along with her younger siblings, who were just 9 and 10 years old.

“There was a beautiful pontoon situated in the middle of their swimming zone. We had been a swimming family for a long time,” she shared with Yahoo News. “Both my siblings started their swimming lessons at six months old and were competent swimmers. So we chose to swim out to the pontoon.”

However, during the swim, her younger brother “turned his head to breathe to the side and ingested some water,” which caused “panic to ensue”.

“He was on my back very, very quickly trying to elevate above the water,” she remembered.

“As this was occurring, my sister turned around and spotted some commotion, which prompted her to start panicking as well. So then I had two individuals in a state of panic. In no time, my brother’s feet were on my shoulders from behind – that kind of thing occurs when individuals are panicking and in distress.”

How learning to float can play a vital role in saving lives

Tiffany applied the skills she had acquired during swimming lessons and advised her sister to float on her back while she assisted her brother to safety, before returning for her. Ultimately, the ability not only preserved her life but also that of her siblings.

“When I let him down in the shallow water where he could stand, I turned around and found my sister had floated beneath the jetty, clinging to the jetty leg, and was crying as loudly as possible,” she reminisced.

“That instinct to float undoubtedly enabled me to assist both my sister and brother. This is the same training we provide to parents and children at the swim school now.

“If they feel the need for a break during distress, we urge them to lay on their back and ‘float to survive’,” she elaborated, highlighting that “lying on their back allows them to breathe, call out, and communicate”.

Renowned Sydney lifeguard Bruce “Hoppo” Hopkins concurred, stating, “floating empowers individuals to conserve energy and maintain composure during a water crisis, which can often be the key difference between life and death”.

Drowning fatalities in Australia: A statistical overview

The National Drowning Report 2024, released by Royal Life Saving in August, indicated there were 323 drowning fatalities in the prior 12 months. This marks a 16 percent increase compared to the ten-year average of 278.

• Among these, 15 children were under the age of five, along with a significant number of adults.

• 84 drowning fatalities, translating to 26 percent, occurred at beaches.

• 11 percent, or 35 fatalities, took place in swimming pools, with half of these in backyard pools.

• December and March recorded the highest rate of drowning incidents.

• Rates of drowning surge ten-fold from age 10 to age 20, likely stemming from heightened risk-taking behavior and a deficiency in swimming, water safety, and lifesaving techniques among youth and young adult demographics.

Moreover, according to SWIMSAFER, an organization dedicated to swimming instruction and water safety:

• Approximately two in five (44 percent) of parents are uncertain whether their child possesses the necessary water safety skills for emergencies.

• Nearly half (45 percent) of parents assess their children’s floating skills as poor or average, despite the fact that floating is crucial for survival in aquatic emergencies.

Guidance for Australian parents to ensure swim safety

Tiffany mentioned that it’s essential for children to rehearse floating “every time” they enter the water, whether it’s at the beach, in the backyard pool, or at a public aquatic facility. Grasping the buoyancy of the water may require some time to adapt, she noted, thus it’s about instructing and informing.

Now, as a mother of two young children, Tiffany applies the technique at home. She stated that employing “soothing and encouraging words” during a moment of fear can assist children in staying composed until an adult arrives to rescue them.

Providing recommendations to Australian parents, the mother of two expressed, “enroll in swimming lessons” early to foster kids’ confidence, and that of adults as well. “And ensure that we’re overseeing all water environments,” she emphasized.

If swimming lessons are not feasible, then her counsel is to “only swim in safe waters.” “Adhere to the regulations and swim in designated areas monitored by lifeguards,” she advised.

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