Splash Out 2016

For those of you that know us well, you'll know that here at Water Safety Europe we are passionate about water safety education and making water based activities accessible for everyone - after all why shouldn't everyone have the adventure?

That's why we're our team are actively involved in a wide variety of community projects be it teaching people to race boats competitively, delivering water safety talks and workshops or simply supporting a local community event, we try and do it all.  Now I know we're not supposed to have favorites but this next project is probably our favorite and it's not hard to see why.

Splash Out is a free, one day surf experience for young people and their families that helps break down the usual barriers that would prevent such a young person from partaking.  The team is entirely voluntary and they work on a one-to-one basis (that's a lot of volunteers by the way) and all these volunteers are captured in the same way, by their desire to allow someone less fortunate then themselves the opportunity to do what they do on a daily basis.

That's why, when approached by the organisers of Splash Out we jumped at the change of supporting such a great little cause.  We at Water Safety Europe really believe that if you want to do something you should be able to and that barriers preventing some from partaking should be broken down and that's just what Splash Out did.  They consulted with the experts and the wider community to discover just what it would take to make it happen and then they went out into the community, cap in hand and encouraged others to share their vision and support their cause.

They have some awesome supporters all contributing their own unique skills, services or funds to help keep this event free to the participant.  To name just a few of their sponsors we have Oakwood theme park, Port of Milford Haven , Puravida Boardriders, Round Table and Board Games Surfing….However the list really is endless!

For the 2016 event our team provided pre-event services such as consultation, planning and those all important documents (Risk Assessments, Normal Operating Procedures and Emergency Action Plans).  We also sent one of our Water Safety Teams down to help supervise the water based events and support the volunteer Surf Buddies.

We loved every minute of it and it was truly amazing to see that our small contribution had such a massive, positive impact on someone else's life.  Seriously the children had a whale of a time, learned new skills and (additional bonus) learned about water safety.  We've event been told that it is thanks to Splash Out that one young lad will now be attending swimming lessons.

We would seriously recommend that any business with a link to the area or surfing gets involved and supports Splash Out.  The team are doing awesome work and could really do with the extra hand.  But, in the mean time, if you would just like to support them by sharing their work with your friends then please go and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  This will help them spread the word and open the event to even more families from more areas across Wales.  You will also be able to access all their latest news and find out more about up and coming  events when they happen!

Our Water Safety Pledges

Over the past couple of weeks our team have been helping to promote both the RLSS Drowning Prevention Week and the STA's Water Safety Week campaigns.  Why?  Because we believe very strongly that education is massively important in helping keep people safe.  Thats why were involved in so many community based projects helping provide education to all areas of our community and curve the number of water based incidents that happen every year.

In the UK someone drowns every 20 hours and thousands more suffer life changing injuries due to accidents in and around the water.  Education plays a key part in reducing these figures.

Our water safety teams were asked what would they like to do as part of these two national campaigns to help promote and educate about water safety issues.  They decided to each make water safety pledges, pledging what they will do to be water safe and promote safety.  Here's some of the best ones.

Water safety adviser and lifeguard trainer Angelo was captured floating around the north bay with his pledge to continue to train the next generation of lifesavers.

This photo was taken moments after the team responded to a call for help from a member of the public after seeing an up turned vessel.  All were safe and well.

We'd also like to point out Angelo is wearing a buoyancy aid in this photo and a safety boat was on scene

Health and safety adviser and rescue medical technician Rob was found demonstrating his Swift Water rescue PPE to a group of rookie lifesavers with his pledge to set up a new water rescue team.

RYA power boat instructor Ieuan James was captured with his pledge to wear the correct PPE when training others.

Can you spot the drowning child?

Well did you?  Its hard isn't it?  But surly it shouldn't be your thinking.  'Everyone knows what drowning looks like?' you're probably say or maybe it's because there's no volume on this picture, no screams for help? or come to think of it, no one's reacting so maybe there's not even a child drowning in this picture at all?

Well your wrong.  There is and what's more this still, silent photo is very much similar to witnessing someone in difficulty in the water.  And just to prove it here's a video.  Why not see if you can spot the casualty this time; http://spotthedrowningchild.com/

Did you get it this time?  See how difficult it was.  Drowning can happen in the blink of an eye and even within arm's reach of other swimmers. 

As much as we would like to think we could all spot and help a drowning victim there's no way of hiding the fact that drowning is a silent killer.  The victim rarely calls or signals for help and this is because when someone is drowning, contrary to what many assume, they can't call out - there simply isn't time to inhale and exhale before they sink below the surface.  Often they arn't able to wave their arms.

But event swimmers and watermen are different right? They're fitter, stronger and more trained.  They should be in tune with their ability and take early action to prevent drowning right?

Wrong.  Event participants are just as at risk as this young boy was.  Yes they might be fitter, stronger and more experienced but they are also pushing themselves further and harder and operating in more hazardous environments.  This makes them more susceptible to injuries like dislocations (ever tried swimming on a dislocated arm?) and cramp.  They operate in cold open water leading to cold shock and hypothermia or they over do it and fail to exhaustion.  But will they give up?  no, not in my experience.  Or at least not until the very last minute and at that point, when they know they physically cannot go anymore they search for the nearest point of safety and support.

And that's why when your choosing how to staff your events safety teams you need to seriously think about it.  Is your team made up of professionals?  Are they actually trained?  Do they hold the necessary insurances?

All of Water Safety Europe's teams are trained professionals.  They hold national and internationally recognised awards to enable them to do this role and just like that lifeguard in the video; they're specifically trained to notice the signs of distress and take actions prior to the incident unfolding.  They're supported by a highly experienced team, there to coordinate and manage incidents and eliminate the guess work from the process.  Their actions are monitored and coordinated ensuring maximum coverage and maximum efficiency. 

Can your team do all that?

In the past many events got-by by utilising local paddlers or calling a mate with a boat.  But in this modern world of health and safety laws, where the onus is on the event organiser to ensure safety why risk it?  Why not choose a team who can actually do the job and do it properly.  As I always say to my clients if you want to run a budget event that's fine.  Buy in budget medals, cut costs on marketing and slice the fancy look at me additions that ultimately come with events but please do not try to play budget with the important things.  Your medical cover, security and yes water safety as when something goes wrong it is these services you're going to rely on.  As a friend of mine once said 'we are a necessary evil.  An expenditure you should tolerate paying but hope you never need to see used.'

DID YOU KNOW:

 i     - 1 in 10,000 event swimmers will go unconscious
 - 1 person every 20 hours drowns in the UK and thousands more suffer life changing injuries.
  -   the highest risk group is 15-25 year old males

Formation of the Dyfed Search & Rescue Team

We love supporting the community and here's just another project we've got behind to help make it a reality.

We are currently working with a local community based team in the development and formation of a non profit water and flood rescue team to be based in the Dyfed area that has the capability to respond to flood and water incidents across the United Kingdom.

Following a planning meeting last night with the projects other partners (Red Kite SAR - a rescue and medical consultancy firm based in Carmarthen) we have created the initial team of volunteers who will be trained up and equipped to go operational within the year.

But why have we done this?  As a group of individuals both the Water Safety Europe and Red Kite team have a wealth of knowledge both in consolation and operations side of search and rescue.  With the increase in incidents involving water in one form or other, rivers, lakes, tidal pools, as well as more and more cases of flooding both locally and across the United Kingdom, teams like this are becoming ever more in demand.

The community based non profit water/flood rescue team will be formed up as an SLSGB Club that will be trained and equipped to the standards set down by DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) for Flood and Water Rescue.

The project is very much still in its infancy, but following yesterday's meeting it's safe to say things are moving in the right direction.  We will bring you more news of the Dyfed SAR team as it unfolds.

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Refreshing insight to youth education

Yesterday a team from Water Safety Europe joined members of the Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership,  Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue, RLSS and RedKite SAR in a demonstration of a new and refreshing approach to teaching young people the skills needed to stay safe in the water....By their school teachers.

Water Safety Europe trainers attended the demonstration that took part in the Carmarthen Leisure Centre facility and were surprise to see the new project was being taught to students by their school teachers.  The project has been based around the RLSS rookie lifeguard program and was incorporated within the students mandatory swimming lessons.  Groups were split into manageable sizes and were taught by their school teachers - who were supported by the centres lifeguards and staff.

But the most refreshing part of this is in the method of delivery.  As it currently stands teaching children to swim is part of the national curriculum, but educating them in water safety isn't and has been left to local charities and youth clubs to fill the gap.  Needless to say this leaves a huge percentage of our youth never partaking in any form of water safety education resulting in high water related incident statistics.

This new approach to lifesaving education helps bridge the traditional barriers placed on such training and enables schools to educate their pupils in these vital core messages.  But how does it work?  Quite simply actually.  The swim lessons are split into blocks (let's say for argument sake a class will receive 20 lessons a year)  the centre will deliver the usual curriculum based swim lessons and every so often will deliver the lifesaving training (say every 1 in 5 weeks) meaning the children are getting the best of both worlds.