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Water safety
We're here for you in and around water this summer
Video transcript for ACC is here for everyone who’s in and around water
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Family on beach watching a man with a boat in the water and kids jumping off a wharf
Cheering and laughter is heard.
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"This summer"
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Scene changes to close up of a group of children’s faces and cuts to Māori woman laughing.
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"we’re here for everyone"
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Three children swimming in sea.
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"who’s in"
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Two men in lifejackets pushing boat out and cuts to close up of boy jumping off wharf.
Splashing sound is heard as boy hits the water.
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"and around water"
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Bubbling sound is heard as boy breaks to surface of water and takes a gulp of air
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"Discover the ways we’re here for Aotearoa. Acc.co.nz"
Text changes to show ACC logo. "He Kauapare. He Manaaki. He Whakaora. Prevention. Care. Recovery. Learn more at acc.co.nz"
This summer, we're here for everyone who's in and around our wonderful water in Aotearoa.
We love our moana, our water. We love a quick dip, or a manu off the wharf. Catching a wave, or gathering kai. It’s a Kiwi way of life to be in and around water.
Water can also change our lives. Last year ACC supported people across Aotearoa who were injured in and around water. And we helped people learn water safety skills.
38,000
The number of people we helped last year with water-related injuries.
We’re here for prevention
We help prevent injuries too, investing in helping New Zealanders stay safe in and around water. Our partnership with Water Safety NZ helps reinforce their Water Safety Code, and fund swimming and water safety skills programmes.
For more specific water safety information, these are great places to start:
Staying safe at the beach this summer
How to keep babies and toddlers safe around water
Boat safety - staying safe on the water
Staying safe while paddleboarding
Kia Maanu Kia Ora - a kaupapa Māori water safety programme
We’re here for care and recovery if things go wrong
This summer and over the next year, more than two million of us will be active in and around water across Aotearoa. Our top activities include swimming, boating, fishing and gathering kai moana. There'll be 20 million visits to public pools, 1.8 million boaties out and about, and a whopping quarter of our population will go fishing. That’s a lot of enjoying water activities and adventure - and from time to time things will go wrong.
If you're injured in or around water, whether it's minor or life-changing, we work with you on the best way to support your care and recovery. We tailor our support to each individual who needs our help.
We can provide weekly compensation of up to 80% of your income if you're unable to work because of injury. We can also help with medical costs and equipment, support around the house, and travel to work and medical appointments. This allows you to focus on recovery so you can get back to everyday life.
Water safety code
Know the code before you go:
1. Be prepared
2. Watch out for yourself and others
3. Be aware of the dangers
4. Know your limits
Tips for children around water
Having fun in water can turn dangerous in an instant. We should always look out for our tamariki in and around water. Get tips on how to keep your children safe this summer.
Over the last year we helped more than 385,000 tamariki learn how to have fun and be safe in and around water.
We've partnered with Water Safety NZ to deliver the Water Skills for Life programme - teaching Primary school-aged children life-long water safety skills to keep themselves safe and keep an eye on their mates.
"Swim dumb and you're done" is the calling card of the Swim Reaper, a Water Safety NZ and ACC collaboration. The Swim Reaper looks out for youth at high risk beaches, lakes and rivers making dumb decisions, reminding them that water can have deadly consequences.
Every injury is unique, because every person is unique. No matter who you are, if you're injured in an accident in Aotearoa, we're here to provide care and support to get you back to everyday life.
Many injured New Zealanders might not even know that we're involved in their care. 94% of people we help visit their doctor, a hospital or a physiotherapist and don't realise we work in the background to help pay for that treatment.
If you've been injured in or around water, some of the things we help with include:
- weekly compensation of up to 80% of your income
- doctor, hospital and physio visits
- equipment, eg crutches
- access to rongoā Māori services
- help around the home
- help with personal care
- transport to medical appointments and work
- surgery for more serious injuries
- housing and vehicle modifications for more serious injuries.
