Warning for schoolies to be safe following near drowning at Tinaroo
SCOOLIES
As schoolies week draws to an end emergency services and Red Frogs have warned school leavers to remain safe and look out for each other over the final days.
Red Frogs is a volunteer organisation who provide direct relief, safety, and support to young people, especially over the schoolies period.
The warnings come after a 17-year-old male school leaver was pulled from the water at Lake Tinaroo late Tuesday night.
Paramedics, including the Rescue Helicopter, were called to a location near Danbulla Road at 11.05pm after reports of a near drowning incident.
The teenager was treated for serious injuries and airlifted to Cairns Hospital in a serious condition.
He is now recovering in hospital and is in a stable condition.
Approximately 200 schoolies have spent the week around Lake Tinaroo celebrating the end of their secondary schooling years.
Queensland Ambulance said they would like to remind all Queensland school leavers to stay safe over these last days of post-school celebrations.
“No matter what festivities or activity you are participating in, please be safe and watch your mates,” a spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance said.
Red Frogs North Queensland Coordinator, Matt Reeves, said overall it has been a really good week at Lake Tinaroo.
“We have had 15 Red Frog volunteers stationed up there checking on people and making sure everyone is safe,” Mr Reeves said.
“It is a unique event in that it is not a well-monitored official schoolies event like Airlie Beach and the Gold Coast, but they have all been very well behaved.”
Mr Reeves added the victim of the near drowning was very lucky he had good friends able to help him from the water.
“They alerted the Red Frogs who were then able to assist until the ambulance arrived.
“Our biggest message is to be safe and watch your mates. If everyone looks after each other, everyone can be safe and there will be fewer incidents,” he said.
Queensland Police said they have not had to attend any other incidents at Lake Tinaroo during the week of celebrations.
“They have definitely been well behaved,” A Queensland Police spokesperson said.
“Drinking and swimming is not something we encourage but that goes for anyone especially coming into the Christmas period.”
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