1 Formula Rookies

Since June 2014, we have teamed up with local fitness centre 1 Formula Fitness to develop and deliver a purpose built, Rookie Lifesaver course, teaching vital water safety messages as well as practical survival and rescue skills.

Throughout the summer months, the 'Rookies' underwent a comprehensive 6 week course concentrating on beach safety and surf lifesaving skills.  This program was deemed a massive success and as a result was extended to offer a second group to be delivered in tandem, allowing us and our partners to open up training to even more young people from across the county.  During the Autumn term the 'Rookies' underwent a further 6 weeks of training and concentrated on the dangers of inland waters learning about rivers, lakes, quarries and pools.  Once again the instructors delivered the program through a participation basis allowing candidates to experience being trapped in moving water, learning how to utilise survival swimming techniques and how to render support to someone in difficulty.

During the course candidates also underwent basic first aid training learning how perform CPR, put casualties into the recovery position and summon help in an emergency.

The course concluded this week with the Rookies Christmas party where they were presented with their 1 Formula Fitness and Water Safety Europe T-shirts.

'Rookies' will return to 1 Formula Fitness in January when the course will be expanded further, including intensive sessions enabling the centre to accommodate more local children so they too can benefit from learning the core water safety skills.

Community approach to water safety

Back in August, Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon officially launched the community lead water safety group dedicated to protecting lives by making their local waterways safer.

The Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership was driven into action following the tragic death of three local teenagers in the river Towy, as well as the countless river related incidents that have occurred over recent years.

The group had been set up to 'promote, encourage and campaign for improved countywide water safety through education, physical improvements and better awareness of issues affecting regular river users/clubs and associations and the wider public' says partnership chairman Adam Whitehouse.

Since August the group have worked tirelessly and just 3 months on from their official launch are already seeing vast improvements in the approach and attitudes towards water safety within their county.

Not only has the group been successfully working with local businesses, including Water Safety Europe, but have also attracted the support of national charities including the RLSS and RNLI.  The group have also been working with members of the Mid and West Wales Fire service, the Police and Ferryside Lifeboat.

The group has had the full support of local press and media, as well as that of the Carmarthenshire County Council.

It is safe to say that this locally run community group is proof that a community lead approach towards promoting safety and improving community facilities works.  The group aim to launch a new joint educational program into the counties primary schools ready for 2016 as well as host a wide range of practical activities to help hone lifesaving skills within the local youth.  Included into the planned improvements include ground work developments on private land giving greater emergency access to the river as well as a review into and systematic approach to Public Rescue Devises, helping to increase bystanders ability to intervene in an emergency.

Attached is a copy of the new PR posters being place throughout the county.

Here at Water Safety Europe, we are proud to be an official partner in the Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership and privileged to be able to sit in on and advise on topics raised at partnership meetings, free of charge.  We are looking into ways of increasing our influence on the counties water safety strategy and alongside the Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership hope to launch a number of community interest interventions in 2016.

Specialist Awareness Training Courses

Coming Soon

Water Safety Europe are pleased to announce we are currently working with RedKite-SAR to develop a suite of specialist training courses specifically designed for employers and those who, due to their role, work near water. These courses will be structured around the recommended guidelines set out by bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), offering an awareness level of training with the ultimate aim of protecting those who operate in or near the water environment.   We have a proposed launch date set to be early 2016.

The initial courses are looking to be:

• ·         Awareness of Safe Working Near Water
• ·         Awareness of Lifejackets and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
• ·         Competent User of Lifejackets and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
• ·         Awareness of Safe Working at Height
• ·         Water Safety Awareness (DEFRA Level 1)

Top tips for winter event swimmers:

Over the festive period, thousands of UK charity swimmers will brave the cold to help raise millions for their favourite charities.  Although massively fun, it is essential that all participants take essential steps to ensuring their safety throughout their event.  Below are our top tips for winter swim swimmers.

•  Only enter a swim with a dedicated lifeguard service in operation
• If you feel unwell at all during the event, contact a member of the lifeguard, medical or event organiser team.
• Always consult your doctor before entering the swim
• Never swim under the influence of alcohol.  Alcohol can impair your judgment as well as reduce your body temperature
• Take steps to stay warm prior to the swim, especially your feet
• Never stay in the water for too long
• Take steps to ensure a speedy dry off and change of clothes after the swim

Interested in becoming a Beach Lifeguard?

Believe it or not, it's that time of year again where those working as beach lifeguards across the UK start gearing up ready for the summer season.

Lifeguard recruitment takes place early in the year and due to the recruitment process that means those new to lifeguarding and hoping to land 'Britain's best summer job' should also start preparing if they want to be in with a chance of gaining employment.

There are 3 key steps to getting yourself ready for a job on the beach;

Step 1:  Get fit

Lifeguarding is a physically demanding role and as such, much of the recruitment process is generally dominated by fitness tests.

To be in with a good chance of not only passing, but also impressing your potential future employer our Lifeguard Trainers recommend that participants swim regularly in their local pool, ensure they are comfortable operating in the sea and posses a good level of general fitness.

Below are the average fitness requirements for UK Lifeguards.  These standards may vary depending on the lifeguard operating service.

·         200m pool swim in under 3.5 minutes

·         400m pool swim in under 7.5 minutes

·         25m pool swim underwater and 25m surface swim consecutively in under 50 seconds.

·         200m beach run in under 40 seconds

 It should be noted that to pass the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) the set fitness requirements are

• 400m pool swim in under 8 minutes
• 200m beach run in under 40 seconds

Step 2: Get Qualified

Before you can apply for a job as a lifeguard you must first pass your National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) - formally known as NARS.  This certifies you as meeting the standards set down by the International Lifesaving Federation to act as a lifeguard and is the prerequisite for most job vacancies.

Due to the opening of applications early in the year and the ever increasing popularity of the job, it is strongly recommended that candidates book onto courses early in the season to avoid disappointment.

To find out more about the NVBLQ qualifications Water Safety Europe offer please visit; www.watersafetyeurope.co.uk or contact us on info@watersafetyeurope.co.uk for available dates. 

Step 3: Apply

Once you have met the fitness standards and have gained your qualification it is now time to apply for the job.  Typically this can be done by visiting the company's website and following the links in the recruitment page.  Once you have sent your application, it's a case of sit back and wait to be invited to interview.

Interested in working with us?

We are recruiting freelance water safety team members and Beach Lifeguard trainers here in West Wales.  Get yourself onto our database and work at some of the UKs best events and film projects in 2016.  To find out more visit http://www.watersafetyeurope.co.uk

Winter Swimmers.  Is your safety up to the task?

With the massive explosion in support for open water swimming and more and more community groups organising events, so too has the popularity of cold water swims.  Things including charity splash and dash's at the height of the festive period, though to frost bite series and survival obstacle courses, it's no wonder that more and more of us are choosing to take the plunge in ever more extreme environments.

It's worth noting here that the cold British waterways can easily reach temperatures as low as 8.9C in some places, and a cool British land temperatures and you have a recipe for disaster.

In these instances having a solid water safety plan, a strongly researched contingency plan as well as ensuring adequate safety cover (water and medical) is paramount.  Our teams are regularly called to the assist participants who have got into difficulty due to the their core body temperature.

So what are some of the common incidents lifeguards are dealing with at these cold water events?  Well with the average UK coastal waters rarely reaching above 20 degree, and official guidelines stating cold water starts at 25 degree, we're already at risk of having participants in the water suffering from the cold.  As their body cools, their blood retracts into their core leaving their extremities motionless, painful and swimming abilities seriously hindered.  Their ability to think is affected, their judgment becomes cloudy.  They may even become agitated and aggressive towards those trying to help.

Chuck into the mix that many of these events take place around the festive period, where participants are likely to still be intoxicated and clothed in fancy dress.  This leads to an increase in 'marshalling' duties for the water safety team as well as creating the real potential of someone being dragged under thanks largely to their inappropriate clothing.

Now what about cold water shock? Well cold shock is an extreme that typically occurs in waters between 10-15C and can kill in less than a minute.  An unprotected immersion into this temperature will cause most people to completely lose control of their breathing leading to hyperventilation, panic and eventually unconsciousness.  This quickly leads to cardiac arrest and is likely to be fatal without the prompt actions of trained professionals and medical supplies readily available.  Did you know that for every minute after a cardiac arrest the victims chance of survival is reduced by up to 10% only emphasising the need for trained and equipped professionals on standby.

So you see, correct planning and ensuring a fully experienced, fully equipped team of water safety professionals are just as key in these small, winter events as in any mass participant ocean swim.  So we ask.  Is your team up to the task?

To find out more about our water safety management services at events or for advice and guidance on your existing procedures visit our website www.watersafeteurope.co.uk

National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification

National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification

Beach Lifeguard training in Pembrokeshire, Wales

What is NVBLQ?

This year Surf Life Saving Wales, RLSS, and SLS GB have agreed to offer a unified qualification which sets a common, national standard for beach lifeguarding and satisfies the requirements specified by lifeguard service operators, such as local councils, voluntary organisations and the RNLI.

The qualification will be delivered by all three of Britain's national governing bodies.  Endorsed by International Life Saving Federation, National Water Safety Forum Beach Advisory Group and the RNLI.

The new award now sets the standard for vocational lifeguarding in the UK.

The following is a basic overview of the new NVBLQ.

Pre-requisites

·         Be at least 16 years of age on the date of assessment

·         Be able to swim 400m in under 8 minutes

·         Be able to complete a 200m beach run in under 40 secs

Units covered

·         Beach Environment

·         Beach Patrolling

·         Working Practices

·         communications

·         Basic Life Support

·         First Aid

·         Pool based practical's

·         Beach / surf based practical's

Course

40 hours Training – 6 days with the assessment on the 6th day.  A full week's training with required self study evening work.

Included in fee

Fees include Surf Life Saving Wales membership, Certification, insurances and all learning resources needed.

Possible employment opportunities

Ø  Professional or voluntary Beach Lifeguarding

Ø  Surf school instructor

Ø  Other water sports instructor roles

Find out more:

You can find our more about this course and to book onto a NVBLQ course run in Wales by visiting www.watersafetyeurope.co.uk

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Social responsibilities and good business

Whenever you talk about a community interest organisations people always think charities, not commercial businesses.  But commercial enterprise supporting local communities and the people who ultimately supported you could is just good business.

Using your skills and experience gained from your work in the cut throat commercial industry to support and develop your community couldn't be easier.  And I don't mean simply throwing a few policies in place.  Actually getting out there and supporting the local clubs and community as a whole, using your expertise to support community driven projects that share your values and striving to improve community issues that are close to both your hearts.

Here are a few examples or good causes we support in our local community.

Splash Out Surf Experience

The Splash Out team (also known as Surf Buddies) provide the opportunity for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families the chance to head on down to the beach and work with experienced lifesavers and surf enthusiasts offering the chance to experience surfing like its never been before.  The team create an entire arena dedicated to the children and each child is paired with their vary own surf buddy, to guide them and their family through their experience.  The project is run entirely by volunteers and funded 100% by donations and grant aid.

Find out more about Splash Out here

Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership

Set up in the wake of the tragic loss of three local children to drowning a community group set themselves up with the aim of  "highlighting the need for an effective multi-organisational approach to the promotion of education, campaigning and improving water safety in Carmarthenshire."  What this team of dedicated armature has managed to achieve in such a short amount of time is astonishing and can only be a good thing for their local community.

Water Safety Europe are proud to say that we are donating our consultation services to this group and supporting in the development of a new, county wide education scheme.

Find out more here

Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club

A voluntary run, not for profit, registered charity dedicated to preventing loss of life from drowning through rescue and prevention.  In recent weeks, Water Safety Europe staff have been working with Tenby SLSC volunteers to develop a new junior training program which will see over 40 local youths undertake life saving training per week.

We have also been working with the committee on the launch of a number of events designed to promote the club locally, while generating income to fund further developments.

Find out more here

Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership Launch

We attended a meeting today at the Carmarthen Journal Offices to publicise the official launch of the Countywide water safety partnership.

Chaired by Adam Whitehouse who is friends with one of the families who have lost a child in a local river this partnership brings together statutory and voluntary rescue and safety bodies, local councils, clubs and associations, land owners, businesses and anyone else with an interest in education and awareness to promote water safety across the counties areas of waters including rivers, lakes, quarries and the coast.

Present were representatives from:

• ·         Carmarthenshire County Council
• ·         Carmarthen Town Council
• ·         Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
• ·         Royal National Lifeboat Institution
• ·         Merlin First Aid Services Limited
• ·         Red Kite SAR Consultancy
• ·         Water Safety Europe
• ·         1st Carmarthen Scout Group
• ·         Local Landowner Chris Thomas
• ·         Quay Warden Malcolm Rees
• ·         Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Salmon
• ·         Members of families who have been involved in tragic incidents over recent years
• ·         Chairman of Gwendraeth Valley Paddlers and Carmarthen River Festival
• ·         And Others

We hope to help this partnership in the future with more advice and courses to promote water safety and awareness to the young people (and their parents) across Carmarthenshire.

ITV Wales news covered the launch and their article can be found Here

Our local paper, the Carmarthen Journal covered the launch, their article and photo can be found here

Thanks to our friends redkite-sar for this post

Joint lifesaving project launched

This month see’s a new joint Life Saving education program being launched in Pembrokeshire that is estimated to reach hundreds of local children over the next year.

Tenby Surf Lifesaving club has teamed up with commercial lifeguard training provider, Water Safety Europe, to deliver a new, structured, age specific pool based education program that is hoped will not only attract new members to the club but will also offer new exciting training opportunities for its existing Nipper and Junior members.

The club has offered junior education programs since its creation in 1993 offering year round training with summer activities on the resorts award winning South Beach and winter activities in the local pool.

The new pool based program will see over 50 local children a week attend the charities junior training held in the towns leisure centre and being put through the new structured training.

The new ‘Nipper Lifesaver’ scheme, which has been developed by Water Safety Europe, includes 3 core awards that are split into 9 stages, designed to build confidence as well as practical water fitness, skills and survival techniques.

                                                                                                                 

This fun and exciting water safety award scheme is aimed at children aged 8-12 years old and teaches participants to stay safe around water as well as teaching them what to do in an emergency and who to contact in an emergency.

Alongside their new nipper program, the club has also launched a new, in house ‘Junior Lifesaver’ scheme that will target the clubs 12-15 year old members.  This new scheme consists of two separate awards that will be delivered over the 21 weeks period and will focus on teaching vital water safety skills as well as personal survival, rescue techniques and fitness. 

The club is now working with Water Safety Europe to extend these programs to incorporate beach based awards that will be launched in Easter 2016.

Water Safety Europe’s Angelo Fecci said, “Structured programs like this are essential for teaching the community vital water safety awareness and lifesaving skills.  The new awards will enable the Tenby SLSC volunteers to deliver in house, structured and relevant sessions.  We have been so glad to donate our lifeguard trainers time and expertise to helping this local charities project.”

The new project has come about during the same time that calls for improved water safety education are being voiced across the UK, with organisations close to home set to launch a Welsh petition calling for action.

Statistics from the National Water Safety Forum show that in 2013 there were 381 water related deaths within UK water ways with 73% of incidents involving under 19’s.

“We are extremely lucky to have such a club and opportunities within our county as there are many, some surprising close to home without such facilities and now calling for such programs.” Said Junior Lifesaving Coach Ashley Griffiths.  “The aim of our junior training has always been to educate young people of the dangers and to prevent them ever getting into difficulty in the first place.  Many of our junior members will work their way up through the club and will ultimately go on to train as and work as a professional lifeguard.”

-       For further information about the club and its projects please search ‘Surf Link – Tenby’ on Facebook

-       For information on event water safety services or lifeguard training please visit www.watersafetyeurope.co.uk or search for them on Facebook or Twitter.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the Water Safety Europe blog.  We will be using this to keep you up to date with all the goings on here at Water Safety Europe, as well as giving our opinions on water safety related topics.

For more information on our work, please visit our website www.watersafetyeurope.co.uk