People issued urgent water safety warning after UK deaths

Police forces in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire and Devon and Cornwall were all called out to separate fatal incidents involving four teenagers and one man in his 60s.

The National Fire Chiefs Council is urging families to speak to children about the risks of unsupervised swimming in rivers, lakes, quarries, canals and reservoirs.

This can particularly be a problem during warm weather due to cold water shock.

Gavin Ellis, NFCC Drowning Prevention lead, said: “No family should have to experience the devastation of losing a loved one in the water.

“We know that warm weather encourages people to visit rivers, lakes and reservoirs, but these places can be extremely dangerous.

“Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how confident they feel in the water.

“Jumping into open water can cause an involuntary gasp response, panic and loss of swimming ability almost immediately, which is why we urge people not to swim in unsupervised locations during this hot weather.

“We’re asking parents and carers to have open conversations with children and teenagers about the risks, and for young people to look after each other and make safe decisions around water. 

“These incidents can happen very quickly, but many are preventable.”

RNLI wild/open water swimming safety tips

The RNLI has shared the following summary for wild/open water swimming safety tips:

• Be prepared. Check the weather and tides, choose your spot, go with a buddy, have the right equipment
• If in doubt, don’t go out. No matter how much preparation you do, or how experienced you are, if a swim doesn’t feel right there is no shame in getting out of the water straight away, or not entering
• Make sure you acclimatise to avoid cold water shock

Recommended reading:

• Be seen. Wear a bright coloured swim hat and take a tow float
• Stay within your depths
• Float to live. If you get into difficulty in the water and are in shock, turn onto your back and tilt your head back in the water, submerging your ears. Relax and try to breathe normally, using your hands to helps you stay afloat. Wait until the shock passes then call for help or swim to safety
• Call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard in an emergency

Visit the RNLI website for more information before you get into the water.

Have you tried open water swimming before? Let us know in the comments.