The sun is finally out and looks set to stay for a while. When the sun comes out so do the paddling pools, swimming pools, dips in rivers, streams, lakes and the sea. All great fun and a great way to stay cool but water can mean danger.

June 11th – 15th 2018 is Drowning Prevention Week; here at Daisy First Aid, we are proud to be supporting RLSS UK, RNLI and Swim England!

Did you know?

  • People can drown in as little as 2cm of water
  • More than 700 people drown in the UK & Ireland every year, that’s one death every 20 hours.  Many more have near-drowning experiences, some life changing.
  • More people die from drowning in the UK & Ireland than from domestic violence or cycling accidents.
  • Drowning is a leading cause of child accidental death.

Daisy First Aid has these tips for how to stay safe and have fun around water

  • NEVER leave a child unattended in or near water
  • At outdoor water areas such as the beach, rivers or open water sites, obey all signs, never swim alone, be aware of tide times to ensure you won’t be cut off and be aware of rip currents.
  • If swimming in outdoor water, especially open water (lakes, rivers etc) always exit when you start to feel cold.
  • Ensure you swim or paddle in areas with a lifeguard.
  • DO NOT use inflatable dinghies or lilos in open water, you can be blown out to sea
  • Know the emergency contact details for the country you are visiting

As always, prevention is better than cure and knowledge is a very powerful tool.  Ensure you and your children know how to swim, enrol your child on a local swimming class. Respect the water, it may have hidden dangers such as temperature, depth, currents etc.  Be prepared before you enter the water.

Enrol on a paediatric first aid course, not only will you learn vital, life saving skills such as CPR and care of the unconscious person, the knowledge will give you confidence to help you to stay calm in an emergency.

Jo is the Manager of Daisy First Aid Cardiff & Vale.  She runs classes for children, parents and professionals across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan at local venues or from the comfort of your own home.  Level 3 one or two day Paediatric First Aid qualification courses are also available.

www.daisyfirstaid.com