Wai Splash taking water safety message out to rural Hawke’s Bay communities

Kaiya Haitana-Butcher and Philamena Beale, now have a vehicle to take them out to teach water safety in rural schools. Photo / Leanne Warr

Knowing what to do around water hazards was one of the ideas behind the water safety programme at Wai Splash.

And being able to deliver that programme out to rural communities has been made easier with a new vehicle.

Aquatics manager Philamena Beale said initially staff had been using their own vehicles, and she decided something needed to be done about it, so she began looking for a way to get a vehicle for their instructors to use.

Instructor Kaiya Haitana-Butcher, left, with Aquatics manager Philamena Beale. Photo / Leanne Warr

It took about 18 months of pushing for it, and with the support of KB Ford, the community pool was “blessed” with a car just before Christmas, ready to take it out to communities in January.

“I’m stoked to have it on the road. I’m stoked that our staff can deliver the service.”

Beale said there was a lot of support for the programme with enough schools coming on board to warrant having the car and the pool trust had been really supportive about delivering water safety.

Water safety isn't just about learning to be safe in the sea. Photo / George Novak

“Because of all the drowning rates around the country, let alone our area.”

Beale said it was not just the school students.

“Adults are also at risk.”

The programme was currently being delivered to Makuri School in Pahiatua, Weber School, Pongaroa. They also ran the programme at Woodville School during the holidays.

“The main reason behind our vehicle was to deliver water safety out to our regions.”

The recent storms hadn’t helped as they hadn’t been able to get on the road and get safely out to communities like Pongaroa and Weber, but the flooding made the message even more important.

“We want to give you the essential education and knowledge to be able to handle anything in a river, in the ocean, lakes, ponds and because we live in a farming [community] even those who have got troughs, water tanks, even those are hazards for our kids and farmers.

“With the amount of water around our country at the moment, it’s not just the beach, it’s actually flooding.”

Water safety was very different from learning to swim.

“We teach them anything they can use from bottles to chilly bins, [and] how to read a rip so it’s more realistic to actual survival.”

Beale said the schools had been amazing, with some wanting to do the programme every term.

But that also depended on the weather, she said.

“We utilise whatever school facilities, whether it’s an outdoor or indoor pool .”

If that wasn’t possible, they would try and get help with costs for the schools so the students could get to Wai Splash instead.

Beale said schools in the region appreciated water safety.

“I’m really proud of our region.”