The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), as part of their Sea Smart Campaign, have issued a safety warning to parents and children when enjoying themselves at the beach or coastline, urging them to follow safety guidance.
"A day to remember", full of fun and laughter, rather than one of sorrow and grief, is what we all envisage when taking a family trip to the beach. However, all too often our judgement is clouded as we are caught up in the warm sunshine, devil-me-care atmosphere. Our laughter, in a moment, can soon turn to sorrow. The sorrow becomes even more prevalent when simple steps could have been taken to avoid disaster.
Last year saw an increase of almost 18% in seaside incidents and other figures, such as the following make for very sad reading:
- Last year's incidents resulted in a total number of people needing rescued or assistance of 2,514.
- Total lives lost increased from 364 to 376. Up by 19% over the last two years.
- Tragically, at least 20 children died in accidents on the coast during 2005, including drownings, either from having been swept out to sea from rocks or the beach by freak waves or caught in strong currents or being cut off by the tide.
- Other incidents ending in tragedy involved jumping off high rocks, cliffs and piers and being buried by collapsing sand when digging on the beach.
Coastguards, in order to reduce the above figures, are highlighting the following potential dangers:
- A massive 92% of parents are unaware that drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death amongst young people in the UK.
- Most of the children who are drowned can swim, but the silent, unexpected strong currents, tidal rips and large waves can turn a happy playful time into a tragedy.
Chief Coastguard, Peter Dymond said:
"Many incidents involving children happen on fun days out, often participating in apparently harmless activities that they have done many times before. However, the sea can be treacherous and powerful and can change within minutes.
"The main advice is to be vigilant and follow safety warnings.
"If you see someone in difficulty, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Do not attempt to rescue them yourself. You would not only be putting the life of the person you are trying to rescue in danger but also your own."
Sea Smart intends that everyone should have a fun day when visiting costal areas and have provided the following simple tips, which parents and children can participate in to add fun to their day at the seaside:
- Look for warning signs - "I spy with my little eye" - Always a fun game.
- Look for flags on the beach - "who found what colour and what does it mean".
- Red flags spell "danger", just like traffic lights, we must stop. They tell us the water is unsafe.
- Red and Yellow on one flag together tells us where we can swim in safety.
Sea Smart also advise on how to swim in safety, using the following three recommended simple steps:
- Always swim close to the beach in line with the shore rather than out to sea.
- Check the beach when you arrive and beware of rocks and breakwaters.
- Avoid rip tides and strong under surface currents which can carry you out to sea - calmer waters between areas of surf usually means dangerous rip currents.
The MCA Sea Smart Campaign urges Parents to take note of their four-point Sea Smart Code as follows:
- Spot the dangers.
- Always go with a friend.
- Find and read the safety signs.
- Emergency? Stick your hand up and shout, tell a lifeguard or dial 999 for Coastguard.
The most precious things in our lives are our families. Imagine if we lost one of them whilst out on a fun day to the beach and by not taking a few simple safety steps, we caused a member of our family to die! Part of ourselves would also surely die with them, because we didn't take that all important moment to follow the Smart Code.
Please click on the following link, which will take you and your family to the MCA Sea Smart Website and have some fun the evening before setting off to the beach.
The Sea Smart Website is not only full of advice, but fun and games for the whole family and can be accessed by clicking the following:
Be Sea Smart and enjoy your summer days out.
HM Coastguard are also launching their 2006 "Don't Drink and Drown" safety campaign.
Chief Coastguard, Peter Dymond, commenting on the campaign said:
"We are trying to get the message across to anyone who wants to let their hair down during the summer that the warm evenings coupled with excessive drinking can lead to serious accidents or death.
"It can be very hard for the emergency services to have to tell a family that their son or daughter has been seriously injured or worse when we would rather they were enjoying a lovely holiday and going home safely.
"Our advice is to mix spirits and water only in a glass! Excessive alcohol impairs judgment and reaction times which can lead to tragic and often fatal accidents. Therefore we are pleased to be launching this important safety drive to raise awareness in order to lessen the potential for alcohol related accidents on the coast and at sea."
Please also take a moment to check out the advice and guidance on the Don't Drink and Drown Campaign, which can be accessed from the MCA Website by clicking the following:
MCA Don't Drink and Drown Webpage
Article by Alexandra Johnston
