Water safety sits at the very heart of everything we do here at Swim Academy. From our very first Baby Swim lesson to the last lesson of our 7-stage Learn to Swim program, the emphasis is always on building water confidence and lifesaving swimming skills to help children aged 0-11 look after themselves in and around water.
As the clocks have gone back, the darker days are upon us. With less daylight hours, the likelihood of children (and adults) being around open water with poor visibility increases. Add in the colder, wetter weather, we face more dangers around water during winter than other times of year.
We’ve taken some top tips from the experts at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and our in-house teachers to help keep everyone safe in and around water this winter.
Avoid Frozen Water
What may look like a majestic makeshift ice rink may actually be a real danger to humans and animals.
Frozen lakes, rivers, ponds and canals must be avoided and never stood on. The ice is likely far thinner than it may look and therefore any weight applied is likely to crack it.
The water underneath will be incredibly cold which when paired with a reduce route to exit the water due to it being frozen, this can become vary dangerous.
Walk as far from frozen water as possible and avoid walking too close to the banks which could be slippy.
Focus on confidence with floating
The RNLI promote a method called ‘Float to Live’ which has been designed to help children and adults survive falling into open water, particularly where it is very cold.
In our Learn to Swim program, we teach specific lifesaving floating techniques like this one, so your child may even be able to educate you.
Float to Live recommends tilting back into the water and submerging the ears to keep airways clear. Relax the body, focus on normal breathing and softly move hands and feet to retain balance. Do not panic if your legs naturally sink, your upper body will still float. Once you feel as calm as possible, attempt to swim to safety or call for help.
Hold tight to avoid slips
Anyone of any age can slip on wet leaves or muddy embankments. Holding the hands of young children tightly and supporting those with poor mobility can ensure these individuals are less likely to slip.
Equally, everyone should focus on wearing the correct footwear in poor weather conditions to have decent grip.
Call 999 and help from safety
If you do encounter someone in danger because of open water, jumping in to help is not the best thing to do as this can leave two of you in danger.
If someone has fallen into open water and is stuck, you should call 999 and offer support from a safe distance. Encourage them to stay calm and use the Float to Live method.
Bath safety matters too
The colder weather often brings a higher desire for warm baths. Kids and adults alike enjoy a bubble bath but for little ones, we can’t overlook the water safety skills required in the tub.
Small children should always be accompanied in the bath by an adult at all times. Even if they use a bath seat or non-slip mat, these are no 100% safe and can still lead to slips or falls in the bath. Research shows that small children can drown in water as shallow as 1-2 inches, so staying by their side keeps bath time safe!
Winter time is full of fun but with lots of fun comes the need for an eye on safety too. Swim Academy lessons give children the skills to keep themselves and others safe in the water all year round.
You can use the Swim Stage Checker to find your child’s perfect lesson if you’re not already signed up.