AUTHORITIES are reminding users of the region\u2019s lakes and rivers to brush up on basic safety skills before heading out in the boat, kayak or canoe.<\/p>\n
Transport Safety Victoria acting director Gareth Johnson said Maritime Safety is expecting more people out on Lake Wendouree and Lake Burrumbeet, as well as other waterways in the area, as recreational users get free of some COVID-19 restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Premier is encouraging Victorians to \u2018Stay close, go further\u2019 and move around the State supporting local businesses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith increased activity comes the possibility of more incidents, injuries and fatalities and no one wants to see the return to boating spoilt by higher incident numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re planning to go out on a boat or a kayak in the next few months, don\u2019t wait until you\u2019re treading water to find out you can\u2019t get back on. Just because you could once doesn\u2019t mean you can now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The messaging about water safety comes as TVS begins a campaign titled Prepare to Survive.<\/p>\n
The push focuses on five key points: know the weather, practise getting back on, carry a distress beacon, lock in a buddy plan, and wear a lifejacket.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson said that with incidents on the rise in recent years, the five messages for summer remain critical.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoaters and paddlers usually remember to check the weather and wear a lifejacket, but many injuries, and sadly fatalities, result when they go out alone, can\u2019t get back on and are unable to raise the alarm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
TSV\u2019s latest research found 37 per cent of paddlers and 31 per cent of coastal boaters reported that, on their last outing, they did not carry any equipment to help them get back onto their craft.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we recommend boaters and kayakers visiting any waterways in the vicinity of Ballarat, practise getting back on board,\u201d said Mr Johnson.<\/p>\n
\u201cOngoing, if you own a boat, you should do this once a year, and if you\u2019re a kayaker or canoer, do it more frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n
TSV advises paddlers to learn to use a paddle float and stirrup and take professional instruction prior to kayaking trips this summer.<\/p>\n
For boaters, TSV recommends a kill switch that ensures the engine cuts out if boaters fall overboard and investing in an appropriate ladder that extends into the water.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AUTHORITIES are reminding users of the region\u2019s lakes and rivers to brush up on basic safety skills before heading out in the boat, kayak or canoe. Transport Safety Victoria acting director Gareth Johnson said Maritime Safety is expecting more people out on Lake Wendouree and Lake Burrumbeet, as well as other waterways in the area, […]<\/p>\n