Published 14 November 2024
A Year of Progress in Drowning Prevention and Water Safety
Royal Life Saving Australia has published its latest annual report, showcasing the organisation’s commitment to drowning prevention and promoting water safety across communities nationwide.
In this years annual report, we share our renewed focus on bringing people together to eliminate drowning and empower communities to be safe around water.
The annual report provides a summary of the key highlights, activities, educational and training awards issued during the financial year and focuses on the four strategic pillars of the Royal Life Saving Strategic Framework 2030:
- Eliminating Drowning: Leadership, Research, Partnerships.
- Empowering Communities: Advocacy, Education, Swimming.
- Strengthening Safety: Systems, Advice, Access.
- Succeeding Together: Purpose, People, Impact.
Key Highlights from the 2023-24 Annual Report include:
- 30th National Drowning Report: This milestone report offers crucial insights into drowning trends, helping to inform safety strategies, shape policies, and strengthen drowning prevention efforts nationwide.
- Keep Watch Campaign: Aimed at preventing child drownings, Keep Watch promotes four essential safety actions for parents and caregivers of children aged 0-4: Supervise, Restrict, Teach, and Respond.
- Multicultural Water Safety Workshop: In response to statistics showing that 25% of drowning deaths involve people born overseas, Royal Life Saving hosted a workshop addressing barriers to water safety in multicultural communities.
- Bronze e-Lifesaving’s 10th Anniversary: Celebrating a decade of providing water safety education to nearly 100,000 students, this pioneering e-learning program engages youth nationwide in essential water safety skills.
- World Conference on Drowning Prevention: Held in Perth, this event brought together over 750 delegates from 50 countries to collaborate on drowning prevention efforts, highlighting the importance of global partnerships.
- Australian Water Safety Strategy and Local Water Safety Plans: Royal Life Saving is currently conducting a mid-term review of the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 to assess progress and refine goals. As part of this strategy, we continue working with communities to develop Local Water Safety Plans tailored to the unique needs of each area for a more responsive approach to drowning prevention.
- Interactive Drowning Data Dashboard: This new online tool provides access to the Royal Life Saving National Fatal Drowning Database, allowing the public, researchers, and policymakers to explore historical drowning data and gain insights into local and national trends.
- National Workforce Symposium and Aquatic Workforce Framework: With a focus on supporting a sustainable aquatic industry, Royal Life Saving Australia hosted a symposium to shape the future of the aquatic workforce, resulting in the launch of a forward-looking National Aquatic Workforce Framework.
Royal Life Saving Australia’s annual report underlines the organisation’s dedication to creating a nation where everyone can enjoy the water safely. The report reinforces the importance of collaborative, community-centered solutions to prevent drowning and increase public awareness.
To download the annual report click here or view below.
