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First-hand experience with the water safety slogan ‘Anyone can drown, but no one should’ drove Madison Chang to turn his traumatic experience into an educational service.
A community team leader at Drowning Prevention Auckland (DPA), Chang wasn’t always an expert in water safety. Fifteen years ago he nearly drowned while on a boating trip with his father in the Coromandel.
“It was our first time in a boat and we had no knowledge at all. We went with my father’s friend who was relatively more experienced, but we all got into trouble in the water.
“Also, the skipper didn’t offer us life jackets, his compass wasn’t working, and he took us out at sunset, which is the wrong time to go boating.” Chang said.
At the time, Chang wasn’t aware of just how dangerous his boat trip was, which makes him even more thankful to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand (SLSNZ) for the rescue.
“Someone came and picked us up. It was very traumatic and the memory stayed with me,” Chang said.
The experience spurred Chang on a journey to gain skills and education on how to stay safe when engaging in water activities. He says the danger is when people panic as they realise that they are in trouble.
Working for DPA, a charitable organisation that collaborates with SLSNZ, Coastguard, and Auckland Council, Chang provides community education talks on how to stay safe in and around the water. The next one is this Tuesday, December 3, at Whangaparāoa Library.
“People understand the importance but often underestimate the risk in the water. On the other hand people also tend to overestimate their ability.
“New settlers, international students, and migrants are quite dependent on libraries as a community information hub. So we engage extensively with library network across Auckland,” Chang said.
Tuesdays talk will include a cold-water challenge, advice for bystander rescues, tips on the float first response and guidance on choosing a lifejacket.
Chang said his talk communicates safety messages in plain English without the typical jargon, and the interactive presentation helps people understand how to translate the skills they learn at the library into behaviour around water.
Madison Chan’s talk at Whangaparāoa Library is on Tuesday, December 3, from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Drowning Prevention Auckland offers free two-week lifejacket loans at hubs across Auckland. If you’re starting out on the water and unsure which life jacket to invest in, borrow one from Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre.
