RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
March 29, 2004
BID TO PROTECT YOUNGSTERS AND KEEP BEACHES SAFER
Two new initiatives to prevent drownings in the UK were launched by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today.
The one concentrates on youngsters who put themselves at risk near water, the other aims to protect people enjoying themselves around Britain’s coastline.
The measures were announced at RoSPA’s national water safety congress, sponsored by the Environment Agency and Sport England, at the Hilton Brighton West Pier Hotel.
The Environment Agency has joined forces with RoSPA to produce a new water safety awareness pack for 12-16 year-olds, as drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among young people in the UK.
The pack has a CD-ROM highlighting dangerous activities by teenagers around Britain’s lakes, rivers and coast, and includes notes for teachers, youth workers and youth leaders. It helps youngsters to assess risks and make decisions about how to walk away from danger, but also explains how they can enjoy water activities safely. The CD-ROM contains footage of teenagers putting themselves at risk jumping from Brighton Pier.
Transport Minister David Jamieson was at the conference to support the launch of Safety on Beaches, a guidance document for beach operators produced by RoSPA with the support of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and South West Water - a long time supporter of beach safety in the south west.
Over the last 10 years, an average of 470 people have drowned annually in the UK – 20 per cent of them around the coastline. Between 2001 and 2003, RNLI beach lifeguards responded to 4,406 major beach incidents and saved 69 lives.
Peter Cornall, RoSPA Head of Water Safety, said: “Last summer’s heatwave again focused attention on the dangers water can pose to all sections of the community. More than 150 people drowned both inland and on the coast in June, July and August alone.
“Education and efficient safety management of water sites are essential tools in trying to limit the number of fatalities and accidents. With hotter summers forecast, action needs to be taken now to reduce the number of future tragedies, and we believe these two initiatives will be of great help in doing that.
“We don’t want to scare people away from water. The idea is to encourage them to use it safely and for those with responsibility for water sites to do all they can to ensure people are not placed in unnecessary danger.”
*Safety on Beaches £13.49 (RoSPA members £11.45) plus postage, ring 0121 248 2233.
