Pilbara Development Officer Lauren Thompson with Marble Bar Primary School students

Marble Bar Primary students soak up water safety lesson

Royal Life Saving WA Pilbara Development Officer Lauren Thompson has been busy travelling around the Pilbara delivering Water Safety Talks to various school groups. On Monday 15th March, Lauren travelled to Marble Bar to present a water safety talk to the students at Marble Bar Primary School. 

“The talks were specifically relevant to the inland waterways that the Shire of East Pilbara/Marble Bar children are accustomed to,” said Lauren. “Mother Nature reminded me why it is that Pilbara-specific education is so important. Travelling to Marble Bar Primary School, I had to cross a floodway – and this is just one of the water bodies that Pilbara children must be aware of; the dangers when navigating them to get to school etc.”

“The students were fully engaged in the water safety presentation. They learnt how to identify various inland water bodies and how to check for ‘safe-to-swim’ water quality before deciding it would be safe to enter, in addition to the general rules of water safety.”

“Thanks to Principal Community Partner BHP for funding the Water Safety Talks and to Royal Life Saving WA for the giveaway prizes of mini ‘Dippy the Duck’ and the very popular Ernie the Emu story books,” said Lauren. "Ernie Goes on Holiday and Ernie Learns Swimming the Hard Way are water safety stories with beautiful graphic designs by Indigenous artist Samantha Stack."

The water safety talk was scheduled at the perfect time for the students, with swimming lessons next on the calendar. “The Marble Bar students commence their swimming lessons next week at the Marble Bar swimming pool and are excitedly looking forward to their inter-school swimming carnival!”

To learn more about the Royal Life Saving WA Water Safety Talks education program, follow the link below.