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