Drowning is the greatest cause of accidental death in children under five in Australia. Each week, on average, one child drowns. Lets put an end to childhood drowning for good. In 1988 to combat drowning, Laurie Lawrence created the Kids Alive – Do the Five water safety program. The Kids Alive community service program educates the public on five important steps to reduce the risk of preschool drowning. In 2000, Prime Minister John Howard helped Laurie launch the Kids Alive program nationally. Today the program runs nationally via the Kids Alive website, community service advertising, the ‘Living with water’ DVD in the Bounty Bag, the Early Childhood Program, and the Kids Alive Water Safety Show. Each year, many families are struck by a tragic drowning or near drowning. The emotional impact of such an accident on a family lasts a lifetime. Owning a swimming pool is a big responsibility. Pool owners must ensure that their pool is fenced and complies with local government legislation. Why do children drown in backyard pools? - Inadequate fencing or no fencing - Lack of gate security - Lack of effective water safety skills - Inadequate supervision - Lack of resuscitation skills KIDS ALIVE – DO THE FIVE! 1. Fence the pool 2. Shut the gate 3. Teach your kids to swim – it’s great 4. Supervise – watch your mate and 5. Learn how to resuscitate