IN THIS ISSUE: Program and Registration Brochure, Themes in Focus Spotlight - Activities and Occupations, Ambassador Profile - Dr Steve Beerman, Accommodation - Special Rates Ending Soon, Interactive Tour - Traditional Fishing, Delegate Feature - The Children's Medical Centre Texas.
PROGRAM AND REGISTRATION BROCHURE
Attached with this newsletter is the World Conference on Drowning Prevention’s Program and Registration brochure. In this brochure you will find information on: conference themes (including sample papers), interactive tours, accommodation, sponsorship and advertising, registration and a summary of the conference program.
There is also information on the conference social activities, information for partners accompanying delegates, fascinating day-trips to take before and after the conference, and important dates leading up to the conference.
The Program and Registration brochure can also be downloaded from the conference website here.
THEMES IN FOCUS SPOTLIGHT - ACTIVITIES AND OCCUPATIONS
The Activities and Occupations stream focuses on specific research, policy and practice designed to prevent drowning in certain high risk activities or occupations. There is a range of aquatic activities, both recreational and occupational, that increases a person’s exposure to water and, where not undertaken safely, can lead to drowning.
Such activities include fishing, scuba diving, boating, sailing, surfing, swimming, snorkelling, using jet skis, or using water slides. Additionally, there is a wide range of occupations such as commercial fishing and passenger vessels that require and use water for their livelihoods. Unfortunately this interaction has led to tragic consequences such as the Bangladesh ferry disaster where 75 people drowned when the ferry they were travelling in capsized.
This stream will address the range of activities and occupations where drowning occurs, as well as exposure, common circumstances that lead to drowning, prevention activities and strategies, and the development of safer systems and attitudes. These discussions will focus on prevention strategies at local, community, country, regional, or international levels.
Sample Papers:
‘Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and commercial fishermen: Preconceptions and evaluations in actual use’, Ms Jennifer Lincoln PhD CSP, National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health (NIOSH) / Alaska Pacific Regional Office
‘Don’t Put Your Life On The Line – A strategy to reduce rock fishing fatalities’, Mr Matthew Thompson, Surf Life Saving Australia
‘Diving Deaths Downunder – An analysis of 34 years of SCUBA diving deaths in Australia’, Mr John Lippman, Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific
AMBASSADOR PROFILE - DR STEVE BEERMAN, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING FEDERATION (ILS)
The nature of a conference like the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2011 ensures that the right people, from the right fields, come together and bring with them research, expertise and ideas. By doing so, we can address the many drowning scenarios that affect millions of people worldwide. From backyard pools and bathtubs in the West, to rice paddies and wells in the East, drowning affects us all.
But drowning does disproportionately affect low income nations and less adaptive populations. It also disproportionately affects children. Research and surveys continually show us that drowning has reached epidemic proportions in many Asian countries and is the leading killer of children in those countries. Drowning prevention needs strong global advocacy.
Many at-risk groups are in nations and regions with no lifesaving lead organizations and this adds to the importance and influence of the World Conference on Drowning Prevention. The International Life Saving Federation in collaboration with other international agencies, governments and member organizations can build capacity to lead, partner and assist community drowning prevention and lifesaving projects. We can also facilitate leadership that will reduce drowning mortality and water related injury.
The World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2011 is a golden opportunity for the transfer of a wealth of knowledge. All attendees will leave the conference better equipped to do their fair share in the prevention of drowning. I look forward to welcoming you all in Danang.
ACCOMMODATION - SPECIAL CONFERENCE RATES ENDING SOON
Conference Travel Partner Exotissimo has negotiated special delegate accommodation rates at a variety of hotels during the World Conference on Drowning Prevention. But time is running out. The reduced rates will end on 9 March 2011 so book now through the Exotissimo link on the conference website to take advantage of these great prices.
(Please note: Rates are quoted in USD Nett per night (includes breakfast, 5% service charge and 10% VAT) and are valid only until Wednesday, 9 March, 2011. Rooms subject to availability.)
INTERACTIVE TOUR - TRADITIONAL FISHING
Several Interactive Tours will be part of the program for Day 3 of the Conference. Fishing plays an essential role in Vietnamese life and culture. On this Interactive Tour, participants will be introduced to traditional Vietnamese fishing methods including the coracle or Thung Chai – the small, round boats the Vietnamese have fished from for centuries.
Inspect the fishing craft and hear from experts as they discuss occupational related drowning. The adventurous will also have the chance to try their luck paddling and steering a coracle.
The tour will take place on China Beach, close to Monkey Mountain on the Son Tra Peninsula. The tour is scheduled to take two hours and a bus will take participants to and from the Furama Resort.
DELEGATE FEATURE – THE CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER, TEXAS
The Children’s Medical Center is the only academic healthcare facility in North Texas dedicated to the comprehensive care of children from birth to age 18. Children’s, as it is commonly known, provides patient care ranging from simple eye exams to specialised treatment including heart disease, hematology-oncology and cystic fibrosis. In addition, Children's is a major pediatric kidney, liver, intestine, heart and bone marrow transplant centre.
Children's conducts research that is instrumental in developing treatments, therapies, and greater understanding of pediatric diseases. It is also the only stand-alone pediatric Level 1 trauma center in Texas and one of only 16 in the US.
Injury prevention is a key component of any strong, comprehensive Level 1 pediatric trauma program and one of the main reasons the Children’s Medical Center is sending four staff members to the World Conference on Drowning Prevention. Those delegates are: Dr Rose Jones, research scientist; Claudia Romo, Injury Prevention and Program Manager; Kristen Beckworth, water safety community expert; and Jesus Alderete, Safe Kids coalition leader.
“We wholeheartedly feel that if we are to effectively reduce drowning or near-drowning incidents in Texas, then we have a responsibility to learn from global experts who are demonstrating that their dedicated efforts are making a sustainable difference,” said Claudia Romo.
The delegates from Children’s will be presenting ‘One Size Does Not Fit All: Rethinking Pediatric Water Safety and Drowning Prevention in High Income Countries (HICs)’. “We chose this topic because in the US there seems to be a one size fits all approach to addressing drowning among the paediatric (and adult) population,” Miss Romo said.
“Although it is widely known in the US that minority children drown at disproportionately high rates, very little research had been directed toward understanding the cultural components associated with this dyad. We found that the vast majority of aquatic curricula, interventions and messaging are standardized in scope, homogenous in focus and acultural in context. We felt that greater attention needed to be extended to understanding the precise ways in which social, cultural, familial, and environmental experiences converged to create pediatric water safety and drowning prevention interventions,” she said.
The Children’s Medical Center’s presentation will resonate with those involved with large groups of minorities that have varying needs and with those believing that all public health efforts must be comprehensive and multifaceted in their approach, especially when working in multiethnic and multicultural communities.
The team from Children’s also have their eyes on the Interactive Tours, scheduled for Day Three of the Conference. “We would all love to go on the River Boat Cruise or Cycle Tour,” Miss Romo said. By joining those tours the delegates are hoping to understand more about the drowning risks associated with rural Vietnam and to gain an in-situ understanding of different cultural and ethnic communities. “We certainly don’t have all the answers to addressing drowning in children but we do have a robust water safety program to share with others and an unending desire to keep children safe in the communities where they live, grow and play,” Miss Romo said.
“Our goal is to create dialogue around this issue and to form partnerships with other organizations to tackle this health concern at the local, state, national and global level.” For more information on The Children’s Medical Center, please visit: www.childrens.com
IMPORTANT PLANNING DATES
Be sure to mark these important conference dates in your diary today.
21 April 2011 - Registration Closes
10 to 13 May 2011 - World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2011
CONTACT DETAILS
Conference Organisers
Royal Life Saving Society - Australia
PO Box 558, Broadway NSW 2007
Phone: +61 2 8217 3111
Fax: +61 2 8217 3199
Email: WCDP2011@rlssa.org.au
Website: www.worldconferenceondrowningprevention2011.org