Drowning happens too often

Friday, June 12 sees the launch of this year’s drowning prevention week (DPW) campaign, run by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK).

2020 is the seventh year of DPW, originally launched as a way of focussing the UK’s attention on the importance of water safety. The week-long campaign, running through to June 19, is all about awareness of danger when it comes to water, as the RLSS UK Families’ Stories video shares.

With a focus on preventing such tragedies through DPW, the RLSS UK also provides a wide range of free, downloadable resources to help promote water safety messages.

This type of water-safety education is particularly important – not to mention timely – locally. In a situation mirrored by other coastal resorts around the UK, the beaches at Camber, Rye, Winchelsea Beach and Pett Level have already seen huge swathes of visitors since the ‘release’ of families from the more stringent lockdown restrictions, as the top photo from the recent May bank holiday weekend shows.

Rye News has already reported on the situation of unprecedented numbers flocking to local beaches despite Covid-19 rules, whilst local rescue charity, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB), share the concerns of the RLSS alongside a growing sense of urgency about getting water safety messages across.

Saving lives through prevention

Particularly at this time of year when, across the UK and Ireland, the summer months bring a spike in fatal drowning incidents, PLIRB’s volunteers are always actively involved not only with rescue, but also with the community in respect of beach awareness, water safety and prevention.

During early summer, Steve Hill, volunteer launch authority at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat, is usually out and about undertaking school visits to help prepare children and their families for safer summer holidays at the seaside. With impact of lockdown cutting right across this in 2020, he stresses:

“It’s essential to remind people to stay safe, be risk-aware and to take personal responsibility near water, especially at these difficult times. As an independent rescue service, we play an active part in prevention, so we’re only too happy to be involved with drowning prevention week.

People are often surprised to learn that, according to the RLSS, in the UK you’re more likely to die from drowning than you are from being hit by a car or in a domestic fire. So, we urge people to visit the RLSS website and take advantage of the resources and material available to help make children particularly aware of the dangers which increase the risk of drowning.”

With home-schooling continuing for the majority of school children, the DPW resources may not just save lives, they could also be a life-line for parents struggling with educational ideas. Steve feels they also offer a great way into those important conversations about water safety. In the absence of his own school visits, Steve suggests families could research what the flags on the coastline mean, and the danger of local tides and inflatables at sea.

Check flags for dangers

“I tell the children, always check the flags that are flying and, if their parents do buy them an inflatable, to make sure to tie a piece of string from the inflatable to one of their parents’ big toes, before they go to sea.”

With RLSS statistics revealing that a person dies from drowning every 12 hours in the UK, the DPW educational resources extend beyond coastal and open water dangers, to include information on water safety at home (particularly important during paddling pool season), residential swimming pools and water safety around inland bodies of water.

RLSS UK CEO, Robert Gofton says; “This year’s campaign will focus on encouraging everybody to take personal responsibility near water, especially in light of the current challenges facing our emergency and rescue services. Venues and rescue services are doing everything they can to provide a service this summer, but the harsh reality is that in the current climate, despite a big effort, the usual level of service just isn’t feasible.

Accidental drowning is avoidable

“Accidental drowning incidents are largely avoidable if the correct choices are made, coupled with the skills and knowledge for personal survival and bystander rescue. These skills are easy to learn and free to access. We are urging individuals and families to take care, take responsibility and learn what to do in an emergency.

We thank Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat for getting involved in the campaign, and for helping people learn the skills they need to enjoy water safely.”

Downloadable resources and further information at: https://www.rlss.org.uk/drowning-prevention-week

For more information about RLSS UK: Visit rlss.org.uk; follow on Twitter; visit Facebook or call 0300 323 0096.

Image Credits: Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat .