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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: Whitireia New Zealand were commissioned by New Zealand Search and Rescue (NZSAR) to undertake a thorough analysis of all NZSAR related fatalities between April 2010 and July 2017. The purpose was to provide a high level overview of all fatalities, in-depth analysis of recreational fatalities and provide recommendations for prevention messaging where appropriate.
Method: The NZSAR data was comprised of 1542 cases with 42 fields. Missing data were evident in the majority of cases. Cases were coded into one of six prescribed categories: Land, Water, Wanderer, No incident/false alarm, Out-of-scope (suicide, criminal, disaster victim identification (DVI), aviation and outside SAR region), Uncertain. Land, Water and Wanderer fatalities underwent full demographic and thematic analyses, while Out-of-scope, No Incident/false alarm data received full demographic analysis and partial thematic analysis, where the data allowed.
Results: Annual fatality numbers remained constant. Gender disparity was evident (66% male). Landbased activities resulted in 194 fatalities. Five activities were most frequently associated with fatal events and accounted for 75% of the land-based fatalities: tramping (29%), hunting (15%), walking (12%), mountaineering (11%) and commercial (8%). Falls (31%), drownings (26%) and medical events (24%) accounted for 81% of fatalities. Water-based activities resulted in 320 fatalities, with boating (30%), commercial (27%) and swimming (22%) resulting in 79% of deaths. Eleven fatal wanderings fell into two distinct cohorts; children (45%) and the elderly (55%). Drowning was indicated in the majority of child wanderers (80%). Out-of-Scope activities resulted in 452 deaths, with suicides (41%) and DVI cases (40%) the most common.
Conclusions: Recommendations include the use of buoyancy devices when engaged in any activity close to water, education around falls prevention targeting tramping and mountaineering clubs,
Language: en |