Parramatta Council has reminded residents its important to keep children safe in the pool.
PARRAMATTA City Council is getting behind the pool-safety campaign run by the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
The program, Kids Can Drown Without a Sound, was launched to encourage families to take the necessary precautions when children are in or near water.
With Sydney reaching scorching temperatures, the alert for pool safety is high.
The Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Cr John Chedid, said inflatable and portable pools were popular with families but they presented the same dangers as larger pools.
“The number of children drowning in inflatable and portable pools is increasing at an alarming rate,” he said.
To reduce drowning deaths the Australian Water Safety Council began a four-year strategy last year, targeting those aged up to 14, those aged 15 to 24 and those aged over 55.
Australia has had increasing drownings with 315 deaths recorded in 2011. Swimming pools and lack of water-safety skills were instrumental in child drownings.
Programs like Kids Can Drown Without a Sound raise awareness and build skills in supervision which will help save lives.