Lifejackets accessible at high-risk location in world first initiative

At the end of November, Drowning Prevention Auckland (DPA) installed a remote Lifejacket Station at Te Henga Bethells Beach in partnership with local iwi Te Kawarau ā Maki.

In this global first of its kind initiative DPA worked closely with mana whenua to make lifejackets available to anyone enjoying water-related activities at Te Henga Bethells, particularly those fishing from the rocks.

“Collaborating with Te Kawarau ā Maki has been fantastic. By working within their mātaraunga, respecting the environment and learning about the historical significance of this land, we’ve enabled easy access to lifejackets, which will directly save the lives of rock-based fishers. This pilot project is a special way to support Te Kawarau ā Maki in their guardianship of the people and the land.” Ants Lowe, DPA.

The lifejackets are situated on iwi land in a location that is easily accessible to the rocks and are stored in a unit that was designed to blend in with the landscape it sits within. The pilot station was installed with thought to there being no long-term negative impact on the environment, and the colour palette was carefully considered to co-exist with the surroundings. The artwork on the station includes designs from local iwi Te Kawarau ā Maki and simple graphic instructions showing how to use the station.

“Te Kawerau ā Maki support this kaupapa as part of our enduring responsibility to protect our people, our manuhiri, and our whenua. Te Henga is of deep cultural significance to our iwi and is where we will rebuild our marae and return our people home, so partnering with DPA to establish this initiative in our heartland was a natural fit. This lifejacket station reflects our shared commitment to protecting lives and ensuring everyone can return safely to their whānau, and it strengthens our ability to support those who fish, gather, or enjoy the moana here in a way that upholds our role as kaitiaki of this rohe”. Ashleigh McDonald, Te Kawarau ā Maki.

The borrow, wear, and return system allows easy access to good quality, fit for purpose lifejackets that people can use at no charge while fishing from the rocks or participating in any activity where they are at risk of falling in the water.

The station at Te Henga is a pilot aimed at saving lives and if successful, DPA would like to see these as commonplace in high risk environments. 20 years of research has shown this location and others like it have a high risk of death by drowning for fishers. The wearing of lifejackets, along with education in safer fishing practices, decreases the risk of further fatalities.

For tips on safer rock-based fishing and more useful resources visit this link.

Click to complete our free online learning module.

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Take five minutes today – it might save a life tomorrow

But, each summer, New Zealand families are devastated by preventable drownings in home pools.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, an average of two pre-schoolers lose their lives in home pool drownings each year.

Every one of these deaths is one too many – and we all have a part to play in reducing that number to zero.

Four steps you can take to make your pool safer

Did you know it takes just five minutes to make your pool safer? Here’s four simple steps you can take today:

● Ensure the pool gate and lock are working and close properly.
● Trim plants that could be used to climb over fences.
● Remove ladders from around the pool area.
● Never leave pool gates propped open.

Supervision is key

Active supervision of children is essential in preventing drownings.

A child can drown in less than five centimetres of water in under 30 seconds.

Children should always be within sight, and children under five should be within arm’s reach at all times.

At social events, we recommend having one dedicated adult who is responsible for watching the children in and around the water. This is even more important during barbecues and food preparation when people can become distracted.

It’s easy to assume someone else is watching the pool – so making it one person’s job is the safest option.

Own a pool? Here are the rules you need to follow

• All residential swimming pools must have compliant barriers to prevent unsupervised access by children under five years of age.
• Portable or inflatable pools that can hold 400mm or more of water must also have compliant barriers.
• Portable pools should be supervised at all times and emptied after use.
• Pool barrier requirements apply regardless of whether any children live at a property.
• Pools, including freestanding pools and swim spas, installed after 1 January 2017, are not permitted to use removable ladders unless they are enclosed by a compliant barrier and gate.
• Residential pools must be inspected every three years.

Find a pool safety checklist for parents / caregivers here.

So, take five minutes to check your pool, supervise children in and around pools, and let’s make this summer safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Take our free course

To support families in teaching their children how to be safe in the water, we offer free online training over on our eLearning platform.

Useful resources

Drowning Prevention Auckland
Auckland Council pool area safety checklist
Water Safety New Zealand staying safe: swimming pools

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No two days the same: A month in the life of an Aquatic Educator

This story is a snapshot of just one month in Danika’s life as an educator with Drowning Prevention Auckland. In that time, she might teach pool lifeguards and engineers, support refugee communities, work with rangatahi in the ocean, and visit yacht clubs and community events. Much of this happens in the water, outdoors and on the move, and almost never behind a desk.

Before joining DPA, Danika was a First Aid Instructor with New Zealand Red Cross. She has long been at home in, on and under the water as a surf lifeguard, competitive swimmer, free diver, fisher and scuba diver. That mix of skills means she is just as comfortable coaching confidence in the deep end as she is supporting people through their first ever experience of Aotearoa New Zealand’s waterways.

Early one morning you will find Danika at a pool before opening hours, running an aquatics-based first aid session for lifeguards and pool staff.

Across a focused workshop, she helps teams refresh critical skills such as CPR, using a defibrillator and responding calmly when something goes wrong in or beside the water. The goal is simple: when an emergency happens, staff feel ready, not rattled. The same principles apply in workplaces where people spend time in, on or around the water. From staff who supervise aquatic activities to teams whose work takes them near waterways, Danika helps people understand risks, recognise trouble early and respond effectively.

Another day, she might be at Wero Whitewater Park, a controlled river environment in Tāmaki Makaurau, working with a team whose job brings them close to fast-moving water.

Here, the focus is on survival and helping each other if someone ends up in the river unexpectedly. Participants learn how to stay calm and Float first, move with the water rather than fight it, and use simple rescue techniques to support teammates from the safety of the bank. It is physical, practical and eye-opening, especially for people who have not experienced cold, fast water before.

The next week, Danika may be standing in front of 84 refugees at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre, supported by a team of 12 translators.

Many of the people in the room have come from landlocked countries or have never been to a beach. Danika adapts her teaching style by slowing down, shortening sentences and using stories and demonstrations so that key safety messages are clear in every language. She knows this work may save lives. For people who are new to Aotearoa New Zealand, understanding rip currents, unexpected immersion and how to get back to safety can be the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

Outside of the resettlement centre, you will find her with community groups across the city in yacht clubs, faith communities, corrections facilities and more, tailoring “Be Water Safe” workshops to each audience.

Danika also spends some days supporting our team to deliver RUKU: Tau ihu in the open water with rangatahi at Te Kohuroa Mathesons Bay.

Here, water safety is woven together with connection to place and respect for te taiao. Rangatahi experience the ocean directly, learning to Float first, understand their own abilities and build confidence in, on and around the moana.

When she is not in a pool, river, classroom, or bay chances are Danika is out in the community at events and festivals such as Splashy Bikers Nature Day or Have a Throw Day, chatting with tamariki, whānau and community members at the DPA stand. It is all part of the same mission: helping more people enjoy Aotearoa New Zealand’s waters safely, for life.

We regularly hear feedback like:

“My instructor was attentive, informative, and accommodated all our needs while encouraging us to challenge ourselves.”

That balance of being supportive and stretching people just enough is at the heart of how Danika and our aquatic education team work.

If you are a workplace wanting to keep your people safe around water, or a community group keen to build water confidence and skills, our team can help.

Learn more about workplace training and book.

Explore Be Water Safe for community groups and enquire.

With Aquatic Educators like Danika on the job, one thing is for sure: even in a single month, no two days, and no two groups, are ever the same.

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