Drowning Prevention Week - 17th-24th June 2023
Drowning Prevention Week: 17th-24th June
What is Drowning Prevention Week?
Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) helps to ensure everybody across the UK & Ireland has the opportunity to enjoy water safely. The DPW campaign, created by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) encourages everyone to use it’s free water safety resources to give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water. The campaign is designed to explore a multitude of opportunities to proactively raise awareness of water safety ahead of a summer outdoors. Starting in May all the way through the end of August, the risk to the public through accidental drowning increases significantly - DPW is critical in raising awareness and encouraging the public to enjoy water safely.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK has been caring for families for over 130 years and is encouraging everybody that can to do their little bit this summer! Overall, we are encouraging everyone to #EnjoyWaterSafely
What are the statistics?
One thing that is clear, is that drowning is preventable. Even one drowning is one too many. Here are some of the statistics that the RLSS has collected over the past year:
- 47% of Accidental Drownings in the UK occur between May and August. Of this percentage, 83% are males
- These 47% of people who lost their life to accidental drowning actually never intended to be in the water
- Around two thirds of adults in the UK that have been surveyed have never had any formal training or education in Water Safety
- Only 30% of parents have said they were “very confident” that their child knows how to stay safe in and around the water.
- 59% of accidental drownings in the UK occur at inland water sites.
- Alcohol and/or drugs are a factor in 32% of all accidental drownings in the UK
- On analysis, 73% of accidental drownings occurred in the absence of professional supervision, such as a RLSS UK qualified Lifeguard.
Being a competent swimmer is more than just getting into the water and performing a few strokes. You have to make sure you are able to maintain those strokes, especially in deep water.
How does Hatfield Swim Centre play their part?
We are just 1 of hundreds of swimming pools in the UK who will be playing our part and making sure people #EnjoyWaterSafely. We here at Hatfield Swim Centre pride ourselves on delivering the best and most effective swimming lessons possible. We incorporate as much as we can into our lessons to make sure all the children are prepared for any kind of event in a water environment. With Drowning Prevention Week, we are expanding on this even further.
Between Saturday 17th June – Saturday 24th June, all of our swimming lessons will be focused on how to prevent, not just your child from drowning, but how to potentially help others as well. Just knowing the basic lifesaving skills could save someone’s life in the future. You may even want to make a career out of it. Our swim teachers will be on hand throughout the week to ensure your children get the best learning experience possible to take into the outside world.
To summarise, To continue to #EnjoyWaterSafely this summer and beyond, get involved and give your children the best skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.