78746

Committed to water safety and education in her post elite swimming career, Dr Shane Gould has today backed the Sandon Point Surf Club in its initiative to promote the Float to Survive campaign.

Dr Gould, one of Australia’s greatest swimmers who holds a PhD related to a study of swimming culture in Australia and who is an Ambassador for the Float to Survive campaign, has today been at the Sandon Point club in the NSW Illawarra to promote the advantages of floating when swimmers are in difficulties in the ocean.

Speaking in advance of her visit, Dr Gould stated “I’m thrilled to be coming to Wollongong as the Ambassador of Float to Survive.

“This is a great campaign being run by Sandon Point Surf Club and one l believe in.

“If we are ever going to reduce drownings, people have to understand the importance of floating. “Knowing why you must float and how to float is vital as it gives you the best chance of survival in deep water.

“I practise floating every time l swim.”

Six years ago, Ken Holloway, President of Sandon Point SLSC, was asked by members of our CALD communities if there was another water safety message than ‘swim between the flags’.

CALD community representatives told Holloway that the red and yellow flags seen at patrolled beaches sometimes misinterpreted, while people swimming at locations like pools, dams and rivers also need safety messages.

Explaining that research shows when people unexpectedly find themselves in deep water, the ‘fight or flight’ reaction takes over, Holloway advised “people struggle using vital energy.

“Drowning can occur in as little as 20 seconds (so) if a victim can resist their natural instinct to struggle and simply float, they have a much greater chance of survival.”

Float to Survive Illawarra is an evidence based drowning prevention message, made possible by support from the IMB Bank Foundation. This support will allow Sandon Point Surf Club and Northern Stars Swim School to provide free ocean safety and floating lessons as well as advertising this simple but effective message which will save lives.

Competing at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games at the age of 15, Shane Gould won five individual medals - more than any other female Australian Athlete had ever won.

Completing her PhD from the University of Victoria in 2019 with an academic study of swimming culture and how it represents Australia, Dr Gould is well placed to comment on water safety.

Image: Sandon Point Surf Club. Credit: Sandon Point Surf Club.

Related Articles

12th January 2025 - Emergency Response Beacons assist efforts of NSW surf life savers

10th January 2025 - Water safety knowledge and confidence boosted via Float to Survive with GOswim campaign

28th December 2024 - Drowning deaths rise over ‘deadliest week’ of the Christmas holidays

10th December 2024 - Recipients announced for Surf Life Saving Australia 2024 Inclusive Beaches Grant

9th December 2024 - Sandon Point Surf Life Saving Club becomes first surf club in Australia to roll out Float to Survive

24th November 2024 - Surf Life Saving Australia selects new members for 2024/25 Youth Working Group

8th November 2024 - Surf Life Saving Australia issues warning ahead of severe heatwave conditions

25th October 2024 - APOLA President Bruce Hopkins partners with GOswim to promote ‘float to survive’ message

16th October 2024 - Royal Life Saving launches new fatal drowning dashboard

20th August 2024 - Drowning levels continue to increase despite ever increasing resources

7th May 2024 - Western Sydney University students introduced to Float to Survive techniques

29th December 2023 - ‘Float to Survive’ message promoted across social media

12th December 2023 - APOLA President Bruce Hopkins promotes ‘Float to Survive’ message with Blacktown City Council

23rd January 2023 - Float to Survive message demonstrated in ocean rip at Sydney’s Manly Beach

2nd December 2022 - Randwick City and Waverley councils launch Float to Survive initiative to reduce national drownings 

23rd September 2022 - Float to Survive safety message to be trialled by Waverley and Randwick Councils

9th September 2022 - APOLA President Bruce Hopkins gains support for adoption of Float to Survive initiative as a national anti-drowning prevention message

17th December 2019 - Victoria University PhD for swimming champion Shane Gould

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.