Water safety could save a life

LEPHALALE – With the holidays upon us and temperatures soaring into the mid to high 30’s, there is nothing better than to relax next to a clear-blue swimming pool or even, if you are lucky, a well-deserved vacation at the seaside, but where there is water there is always a very real possibility that a drowning could occur. Mrs Grand South Africa 2016, Rina van Schalkwyk, was nominated as one of the Top 100 Difference Makers in South Africa for her hard work in combating drowning incidents and agreed to share some tips with Northern News to help minimize the risks.

“I started my campaign after a close friend’s son and local child, Reinhardt Drewel, passed away in a drowning incident last year February this is also why I decided to name the Reinhardt Drewel Foundation SA (RDF SA) in his memory,” says Van Schalkwyk who was nominated by Julie Steynberg the Executive Director of Difference Makers International South Africa.

Van Schalkwyk says that she had many reasons why she started RDF SA, but that the most important one is to save lives and to assist children with disabilities due to non-fatal drowning.

“I want to improve these kids’ quality of living because there has never been a welfare organization in South Africa that supported these children or their families.”

RDF SA is currently supporting three disabled children between the ages of two and six who are from different towns in South Africa. “As an organization we identified some steps that could help to keep children safe when they are around water,” says Van Schalkwyk.

These tips include:

Uninterrupted, vigilant supervision of children in and around any water source

Empty any containers in and around your home that can accumulate water

Empty the bath immediately after bath time and don’t leave the bath plug in the bath

Never leave your baby or toddler alone in the bath or under the supervision of another child

Close or lock bathroom and toilet doors

Remove all toys from the pool or pool area

Cover and fence pools and Jacuzzis

Fish ponds and water features are very dangerous; never let your little one wander off alone, or assume that someone else is watching him or her.

Take everything you and your family will need including your phone, towels, drinks and sunscreen with you to be pool area

Never leave children alone near or in water - not even for a second!

Memorize emergency service numbers and let your kids learn them too. Knowing what to do and keeping calm in an emergency situation, when seconds count, can save a life

Learn how to perform CPR.

For information and to get into contact with RDF SA you can visit their webpage www.mrsgrandsouthafrica2016.co.za/ my-cause-rdf-sa.html. People can also vote for Van Schalkwyk by liking, sharing or commenting on her photo on the Difference Makers SA Facebook page.