This Drowning Prevention Week 17-24 June 2023 we are asking people to share information and talk to young people about the dangers of jumping in and cooling off in open water such as rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs.
This can be extremely dangerous and can lead to death or serious injury because:
- even on a hot day the water can be very cold. Anything below 15ºC is classed as cold water and can seriously affect breathing and movement. This is called Cold Water Shock which can make it very difficult to swim and lead to drowning
- the water may contain hidden objects such as machinery, tree branches, rubbish, even vehicles that may have been washed downstream
- it’s difficult to estimate the depth of the water and this changes and is unpredictable
- there may be strong currents which can rapidly sweep people away even if they are a strong swimmer
If you see someone in difficulty in water remember #CallThrowTell
- Call 999 - ask for Fire
- Tell them to float on their back and make a shape like a star fish –
#FloatToLive
- Throw them something that floats
The Royal Life Saving Society UK has educational resources for schools including SEND here https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-education
More information about
‘water safety’ can be found on the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s website. Please share this information and encourage all to
#BeWaterAware
