A former paramedic has issued a terrifying warning about a Kiwi summer staple, revealing the risk it poses to unattended toddlers. Photo / Herald on Sunday
A former paramedic has issued a terrifying warning about a Kiwi summer staple, revealing the risk it poses to unattended toddlers. Photo / Herald on Sunday
A former paramedic has issued a terrifying warning to parents about chilly bins left unattended in homes across Australia.
Just a few centimetres of melted ice in the bottom of a cooler is enough for a young child to accidentally drown, she explained.
“Esky is a drowning hazard … 20 seconds and a few centimetres of water is all it takes for a toddler to drown,” the mum wrote in the informative video.
If the lid is off, a curious child will likely peer into the cooler, causing them to fall in. Distressingly, young children lack the upper body strength to push themselves back out.
“Toddlers under 4 are less likely to struggle or cry out than older children, which means they can drown before anyone realises there’s something wrong,” Queensland Health added in a separate warning post.
Nikki Jurcutz, a former paramedic, issued a shocking warning about chilly bins. Photo / Instagram
Jurcutz urged parents to keep the lid on their chilly bins tightly sealed when they are in use, demonstrating the lid-locking feature present on most coolers.
Tip the cooler upside down once it’s no longer in use, to drain the excess water, she added.
Jurcutz’s video has been viewed more than 275,000 times, as some shared tragic experiences with the household item.
“Have had a family lose their little one on his birthday like this, he went face down in a bucket of water. No one was around,” one woman wrote.
“So true. My friend was a paramedic and had to go to a scene where a toddler drowned in an cooler,” said another.
Users shared other unexpected drowning hazards, including pet water bowls, toilets and mop buckets.
Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children under five, according to Queensland Health.
“Five centimetres of water is not very much, but it’s enough to cover a small child’s face,” the body explained.
“Toddlers under 4 are less likely to struggle or cry out than older children, which means they can drown before anyone realises there’s something wrong.”
The experts said there are four things worth considering when using your cooler.
The ice will eventually melt into slushy water
It’s going to see a lot of use at your party, and not everyone will secure the lid properly when they’re done
Chilly bins are frequently stored at ground level, within easy reach of curious toddlers, but are often out of sight
Most social gatherings where you’re breaking out the cooler have a tendency to distract the adults in the immediate vicinity
“That all adds up to a potentially hazardous combination for a toddler,” the experts warned.
“Always supervise children constantly when they are in, on or around water. This means constant visual supervision – literally keeping an eye on them – not using your phone or cooking dinner and checking in every so often,” they urged.
“Don’t leave containers or collections of water around the house or yard that children could access. This includes buckets, clam pools, bathtubs, sinks, eskies and fish tanks.”
