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