On 25 July, the WHO’s World Drowning Prevention Day unites us all as we strive to make a difference to prevent drowning. On this day especially, we remember the lives lost in the waters of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Last year, we grieved the devastating loss of 94 lives, marking the highest toll in a decade. We need you to get involved this July to change that. Join the ‘DPA going blue’ movement – We are calling on organisations, schools, clubs and communities around the motu to jump on board.
Dive into our World Drowning Prevention Day activities. Explore our resources and ideas for events and fundraising, plus learn a new survival skill with our Float first educational resources – it might just save your life or the life of someone you love.
Access free learning materials
Hold a 'going blue' day or fundraiser event
Join the wave on social media
Follow us on social, download the digital pack and share your photos on the day to help raise awareness. Use the hashtags: #DPAgoingblue #DPAfloatfirst #DrowningPrevention
Promotional Resources

Poster
Download your Float first poster to show your support for World Drowning Prevention Day!
DOWNLOAD

Digital Pack
Download your World Drowning Prevention Day digital pack to promote the day across your digital platforms.
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Bunting
Download and print your World Drowning Prevention Day bunting to decorate your going blue activity.
DOWNLOAD

He Taonga Te Wai Poster
Download the event poster to encourage your community to join us at our dawn event, He Taonga Te Wai.
DOWNLOAD

Float first Pack
Sign up for a Float first pack with goodies to boost your ‘going blue’ activities on World Drowning Prevention Day.

What is Float first?
Would you know what to do if you fell into our cold, New Zealand waters this winter? How would you survive if strong currents took you out to sea? Knowing how to respond in the first 60-90 seconds can make the difference between life and death.
In an emergency, panic or cold water shock can lead to drowning or cardiac arrest. Even the strongest swimmers can be affected.
Floating as your first response will increase your chances of staying alive.
Think you can float already?
Most adults can’t float as well as they think they can.
Our recent study found that most adults think they can float, and two-thirds think they can float for more than five minutes. In-water testing revealed that only two percent could float more than five minutes, with one-third floating for less than 15 seconds (Stanley, 2021).
Join us at a dawn event
HE TAONGA TE WAI
Together we will acknowledge our close connection with water and remember those who we have lost to drowning.
Tuesday 25 July 2023 6:45am, Oruarangi Esplanade Reserve, Maangere, Taamaki Makaurau

Make a difference – Donate today!
$30 is enough for a place on one of our regular programmes that teaches the Float first survival skill. Please give what you can this World Drowning Prevention Day.
All donations to DPA will support continued water safety education in our community. With your help we will develop and maintain a range of educational resources, from online water safety modules, to school, workplace and community programmes designed to benefit every age and all water-based activities.
Together we can create a future free from drowning. Please, donate today.
Remember that when you make a donation of over $5.00, you can claim 33% of it back from IRD.
Legal Name: WaterSafe Auckland Incorporated, Charity Number: CC11454
Thank you.
How to donate
You can donate easily today using the online form.
Groups running fundraising/gold coin collections
Send us your kind donation via bank transfer to:
WaterSafe Auckland Inc t/a Drowning Prevention Auckland
BNZ, 02-0108-0298232-00
Reference: your school, group or workplace name
Code: WDPD
Fundraising Ideas
- Have a ‘going blue’ casual day or non-uniform day during the week of World Drowning Prevention Day in exchange for a donation.
- Run an educational event with morning tea and invite a gold coin donation at the door.
- Have a bake sale – hold a lunchtime bake sale full of blue treats and donate the proceeds.
- Gather raffle prize donations and sell raffle tickets at your event.
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