Drowning is the biggest cause of death for children below the age of 5 in Australia. In addition, for every child that drowns, many more are admitted to hospital and some suffer permanent brain damage.

Supervision and pool fencing save the lives of children and even pets every day, but unfortunately even a momentary lapse of supervision can lead to tragedy, as drowning occurs quickly and quietly. The Australian Consumers’ Association (Choice), found that over half of all Australian pool fences tested failed to meet a key safety aspect of the Australian standard for pool fencing. Children have been known to get over fences, through fences and sometimes even under fences, leading to fatalities.

A layered approach to drowning prevention can make the difference. The more “layers of protection” between a child and the water, the lower the risk of drowning.

The Safety Turtle consists of a base station, normally located in the house and a wristband, worn by the child. The wristband instantly detects immersion in water and sends a radio signal to the base station, which then sounds a loud alarm. The product has already saved a number of lives around the world.

Drowning occurs quickly. Once a child stops breathing, permanent brain damage begins to occur within 3 to 4 minutes. No product could ever substitute for adult supervision, but if a child somehow manages to get past a parent and reach the water, a pool alarm offers an additional layer of protection to further reduce the risk of tragedy.