News

A life­time ded­i­cat­ed to water safe­ty and drown­ing pre­ven­tion was recog­nised in May with Alice Springs Aquat­ic and Leisure Cen­tre man­ag­er Peti­na Franklin hon­oured in an awards cer­e­mo­ny in Darwin. 

Peti­na received the inau­gur­al North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry Administrator’s Medal in a cer­e­mo­ny at Gov­ern­ment House, award­ed for excep­tion­al con­tri­bu­tion to life­sav­ing, water safe­ty and drown­ing pre­ven­tion in the NT. 

Peti­na has been an active advo­cate of drown­ing pre­ven­tion for the past 20 years and a board mem­ber of Roy­al Life­sav­ing NT for 8 years, ensur­ing that Cen­tral Aus­tralians have a voice and can access services. 

“I was very sur­prised and hon­oured to be the receiv­er of this award – there are so many oth­er peo­ple who com­mit their lives to drown­ing pre­ven­tion and water safe­ty on a dai­ly basis,” Peti­na said.

“I have always enjoyed the water and hav­ing the oppor­tu­ni­ty to able to pass on knowl­edge and infor­ma­tion I have acquired over the years about the aquat­ic envi­ron­ment to oth­ers so they can enjoy it too is impor­tant to me. 

“Drown­ing is an avoid­able tragedy and learn­ing to swim is a life skill that stays with you for­ev­er. To know peo­ple can be safe in and around water is some­thing spe­cial that I can con­tribute to and con­nect with the community.”

Peti­na and the team at the Alice Springs Aquat­ic and Leisure Cen­tre are remind­ing the com­mu­ni­ty that World Drown­ing Pre­ven­tion Day is fast approach­ing, held on 25 July. 

As part of the day, ASLAC will be offer­ing ​‘Intro­duc­tion to Water’ ses­sions for babies under 6 months old. 

These ses­sions will begin from 1.15pm with mul­ti­ple ses­sions through the day, aimed at teach­ing par­ents how to safe­ly intro­duce their chil­dren to water. 

Top­ics cov­ered through the day include con­di­tion­ing, back float­ing, how to hold bub in the water, ben­e­fits of reg­u­lar swim­ming lessons and water exposure

Ses­sions will be for one par­ent and child with 10 spots open. Entry to the ses­sion is free with only pool entry for the adult to be charged. 

Par­tic­i­pants must be reg­is­tered and can do so through vis­it­ing the front desk, or call­ing 8950 4360.