Drowning is defined as “the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid; outcomes are classified as death (fatal) or morbidity (non-fatal)"*.

In this report non-fatal drownings are classified as ‘Hospitalisations’. The Drowning Report uses statistics on Preventable Drownings only. Preventable Drownings are classified as "Fatalities", and are all drowning deaths other than those that result from suicides, homicides and vehicle accidents.