Visitors among water victims

SWIMMING: It's important when out enjoying the summer sun, to ensure we're being safe in the water PHOTO/FILE

Two men visiting Rotorua were among the 73 preventable drownings that occurred nationally as of December 21.

Samir Poorekhorsandi, 40, from Auckland, drowned in a pool at Rotorua's Regal Palms Resort at the end of September and Devinder Singh Karde, 22, a student from Auckland, died in February while swimming with friends at the Trout Pool in the Kaituna River.

With summer in full swing, locals are being urged to ensure they know their limits around water as well as ensure guests visiting the area know the dangers.

Within the past five years there have been nine preventable drowning deaths in Rotorua. During the past five years, two-thirds of the drowning deaths were people over the age of 25.

St John Ambulance Lakes area acting territory manager Liesa Tocknell said Rotorua was "pretty lucky" with its low number of water safety-related incidents.

"It's not a regular call, but obviously in summer with more people heading to the lakes the risk is higher.

"The message is, if you can't swim don't go near the water and don't overestimate your swimming ability.

"There is always a risk in Rotorua with our many lakes."

Ms Tocknell said if you ever found yourself in a situation where someone was drowning you shouldn't go in to rescue them unless you were confident.

"We don't want two victims," she said.

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive officer Jonty Mills said waterways were "our playground".

"But they can also be unpredictable and dangerous ... be aware of the risks and make wise decisions," Mr Mills said.

"We want everyone to enjoy the water this summer, whatever activity that may be.

"The sea, lakes, rivers and pools are all part of the way we live, and our Kiwi culture."

Mr Mills said it took less than a minute for a child to drown but it was also important adults weren't complacent.

"Check out any jumping spot thoroughly before jumping. Do this by getting in the water and physically checking the depth and the whole landing area."

He said you should do this every time you visit a jumping spot to check that nothing had drifted into the landing zone since you were last there.

All boaties are strongly encouraged to wear life jackets.

"We know from the research that up to two-thirds of recreational boating deaths would likely have been prevented had they been wearing life jackets."

Surf Life Saving New Zealand chief executive officer Paul Dalton had a similar message.

"Make sure you're prepared, understand your risks, and know your own skill level.

"We get away with a lot of stupid stuff, we've trained ourselves into bad behaviour," Mr Dalton said.

His message to anybody when considering where to swim this summer: "If in doubt, stay out."

"Making the wrong decisions is fatal."

- Additional reporting by Kyra Dawson

Drowning deaths in the past 5 years
Rotorua - 9
Tauranga - 18
Whakatane - 7

What to wear when out in the water?
- You don't need the flashiest togs, goggle or swim cap to go swimming
- Invest in proper sun protective clothing, heavy cotton t-shirts can weigh you down
- Don't wear denim shorts or jeans
- When out on a boat always wear a correctly fitting life jacket

Looking out for secondary drowning?
- Dry drowning, or secondary drowning can occur after a person is out of the water
- Although rare, it is important to keep an eye on people after they've had a close call in the water
- If they show signs of breathing difficulty, chest pain or extreme fatigue it is important to get them checked out