• Water safety reaction Water safety reaction The drowning of a coastal hiker on Maui this week and of a man at Anahola has renewed interest in the critical problem of informing visitors about the dangers of the ocean in
• Water safety reaction
Water safety reaction
The drowning of a coastal hiker on Maui this week and of a man at Anahola has renewed interest in the critical problem of informing visitors about the dangers of the ocean in Hawai‘i. The drowning was eerily similar to that of a Mainland couple from Illinois who lost their lives at Lumaha‘i just days ago, leaving their pre-adolescent son an orphan and a witness to their deaths.
The visitor industry in Hawai‘i has poorly addressed this problem, even following the avoidable deaths on Kaua‘i the issue seems to be one that remains in the background.
For example, the Hawai‘i Visitors Bureau Web site offers a list of water safety warnings, following an invitation for visitors to come to Lumaha‘i, but on a Web page tucked away one level below the main page without a clear direct link to the information. The suggestions are worthwhile and include swimming tips, warnings to stay in areas where lifeguards are on patrol, looking for and adhering to safety signs, and the well-known slogan, “If in doubt, just stay out!” However, a visible link that says “Water Safety” or something along that line would bring the water safety issue to the forefront for the many Hawai‘i visitors that travel to the Islands and use the Internet to pre-plan their visit.
Beyond highlighting water safety in promotional and informational materials, a visitor industry task force on the issue with a mandate of taking action beyond writing a report would go a long ways towards keeping visitors safe in and around the ocean.
While it is understandable that bringing up the issue of drowning deaths on our beaches isn’t the way to lure visitors, a touch of reality amidst the beautiful promotional materials would save lives.
Airlines transporting visitors to Hawai‘i have perhaps the best opportunity in educating visitors about water safety in Hawai‘i. The subject is mentioned in a way, but a video along the lines of the seat belt warning given aboard each flight would ensure that most visitors are made aware of the dangers before ever setting foot on one of our beaches. Such a warning should focus on the main causes of ocean drowning deaths in Hawai‘i; avoiding being exposed to surging waves on coastal rocks, how to spot strong currents from the beach and other topics are prime candidates.
Avoiding drowning deaths of visitors is a positive for the visitor industry that outweighs the potential negative image that some see goes along with water safety education.
“If in doubt, just stay out!” is a ready-made water safety slogan, one that could easily be placed on bumper stickers, luggage stickers and even as a post card image.
The question remains whether the visitor industry has a pressing desire to minimize the ocean drowning problem through a stepped-up education program.
