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Royal Life Saving Society - Australia is this week announcing the winners of its inaugural National Aquatic Industry Safety Awards, recognising the achievements of aquatic facilities and individuals towards improving health and safety outcomes within their communities.

With winners in the Awards’ seven categories to be announced consecutively over the next two weeks, Hoppers Crossing aquatic and recreation facility AquaPulse has been recognised with the ‘Best Solution to an Identified Aquatic Health and Safety Issue’ Award.

​Craig Roberts, Royal Life Saving’s National Manager Aquatic Industry explains that “by celebrating the excellent work being done by individuals and organisations, our goal is to motivate people within the industry to increase the level of safety for their community, cultivating an environment where health and safety initiatives are continually being reviewed and developed.”

​AquaPulse has been recognised for its innovation in making water safety initiatives inclusive of their multilingual communications and diverse community.

​When the redeveloped facility opened in mid-2015, management was expecting around 900 registrations for its learn-to-swim programs but were instantly overwhelmed with more than 3,000 registrations on the first day of operation.

In delivering lessons in these programs AquaPulse identified the need for education across a region where a high proportion of visitors did not speak English and lacked awareness of basic water safety and supervision.

​AquaPulse introduced a range of initiatives including the Watch Around Water educational program about active supervision. Expanding the program by issuing different coloured wristbands to children aged up to four years and from five to 10 years, enabled lifeguards to monitor all children and easily identify the level of supervision and parent contact every child requires.

​In addition, the centre developed a ‘Safety Squad’; a series of culturally diverse characters that display safety signage and resources, and a range of multilingual educational marketing materials. 

AquaPulse images courtesy of DWP Suters.

21st April 2017 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING LAUNCHES NATIONAL AQUATIC INDUSTRY SAFETY AWARDS

2nd December 2016 - VICTORIAN SCHOOLS TO BE REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN SWIM

28th November 2016 - VICTORIAN DROWNING REPORT RAISES CONCERNS OVER COASTAL DEATHS

25th November 2016 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING FORMS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES FOR SAFE POOL OPERATIONS 

30th June 2016 - YOUNGSTERS FLOCK TO AQUAPULSE SWIMMING LESSONS

7th June 2015 - WYNDHAM CITY SET TO OPEN AQUAPULSE AND THE ENCORE EVENTS CENTRE

6th March 2015 - COUNCILLORS DIVIDED OVER $2.9 MILLION WESTERN LEISURE SERVICES START UP COSTS 

4th November 2013 - PARENTS VALUE SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY LESSONS ABOVE OTHER OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 

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