Swimming is a wonderful way of staying fit and active, especially during the hot weather we’ve been experiencing recently. However, drowning is a deadly reality. With very few adults in the UK holding any specific water safety qualifications, awareness on how to prevent drowning is alarmingly low. And yet, this is an entirely preventable disaster. It can and must be avoided at all costs!
Below are some facts regarding drowning, and while they are startling and drowning is a terrifying reality, it is essential that we all realise how it can be prevented.
Swimming lessons are a regular, keenly important lesson that children get to experience while in primary school. And these lessons take place in a safe and secure environment with a lifeguard and plenty of adults present- so these are safe lessons. But when swimming with parents or friends it may be a more informal environment, so knowing these facts and advice can help to make swimming parties and exercise safer.
The Royal Life Saving Society has spent 130 years saving lives, and it has lots of free tips and advice.
You can find more information on their website here: Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week (rlss.org.uk)
The website offers great tips on water safety in general, as well as summer water safety more specifically. The idea is not to scare people into not swimming, swimming is a wonderful form of exercise and helps people to stay fit, what this awareness is meant to do is make it safer for everyone to enjoy swimming!
As well as helpful tips the Royal Life Saving Society has free resources which preschools, primary schools, secondary schools and community/leisure centres can download and use for educating the public on water safety and drowning prevention. Click here to access these great free resources.
Finally, below is an animation made by the Royal Life Saving Society to demonstrate how awareness of water safety is paramount, we hope you enjoy the animation, and find these tips and awareness of drowning prevention useful.