People urged to Get Water Wise as at least four die in heatwave drownings
Young people urged to #GetWaterWise amid spate of deaths in our rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
Last updated 19th Jul 2022
People are being urged to be careful and to 'Get Water Wise' as the heatwave encourages more of us to take a dip in open water.
At least four people have died after drowning in the past few days.
A swimmer is missing at sea and five others were pulled from the water after a “serious” incident close to Clacton Pier earlier today, Essex Police said.
On Monday, the Metropolitan Police said a 14-year-old boy was missing and was believed to have drowned after getting into difficulty in the Thames in Richmond, west London.
Four other people have died in incidents in rivers, reservoirs and canals in the hot weather, including one teenager in Berkshire.
Two boys are in hospital – one of them in a critical condition – after being pulled from the sea at Blackpool on Monday, Lancashire police said.
More than 400 lives are lost each year in our waterways, often in hot weather as people try to cool off.
#GetWaterWise campaign launch
Last year we launched the #GetWaterWise campaign, after a tragic number of deaths in open water.
In one 12 day period in July alone, more than 40 people lost their lives across the UK
July and August traditionally sees a peak in deaths each year, as people aim to cool off, unaware of the dangers that might be lurking in the water.
In total, more than 400 lives are lost each year in the UK and Ireland.
The Royal Life Saving Society is now calling for water safety lessons to be included in the national curriculum.
Currently some pupils receive water education as part of school swimming lessons, but campaigners are concerned not all children will hear it, or vital information might be missing.
Dangers of open water swimming
Speaking to our Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle at the Westminster event, RLSS CEO Robert Gofton said:
"People think being able to swim keeps them safe, but it's that additional knowledge that you gain from understanding rips, currents, tides and simple things like what the flags mean at the beach, all those important things that no one teaches you.
"We're really committed to teaching as many kids as we can those vital safety messages."
Conservative MP Craig Tracey was among those MPs signing a poster, pledging to back the RLSS campaign.
He told us: "There's always got to be things that we look at, the statistics do back up that there is a need for broader education, but also as MPs what we can be is advocates for campaigns like this.
"We talk a lot to schools, we talk a lot to councils so part of the responsibility does fall with us, whatever party, whether we're in government or not, to spread that message and help people enjoy the summer safely"
Newcastle North Labour MP Catherine McKinnell called on the government to act: "Who doesn't want their child armed with the knowledge to be safe in water?
"As a country we need to make sure everyone has it, we can't leave it to chance, we can't leave it as a lottery based on where you live. There's a really simple way of making sure every single person has this knowledge and that's by making sure they get it in school."
Praise for the #GetWaterWise campaign
RLSS Chief Robert Gofton praised the #GetWaterWise campaign for spreading important messages around water safety, which included teaming up with radio stations across the country to broadcast the #GetWaterWise minute.
The 60 second montage of bereaved families urging people to stay safe laid bare what is at stake if we don't take water safety seriously
Robert told us: "To be honest, its shocking.
"Until you hear from the parents who talk about the feelings and emotions they've gone through when they lose a loved one, it's incredibly powerful.
"It could happen to anyone. Drowning doesn't discriminate, so thank you for continuing that message and raising awareness because we all need to pull together on this."
"I love swimming, my kids love swimming, it's a fantastic life skill and we think more people should do it, but in a really safe way."
#GetWaterWise by following this advice
Follow this advice, and stay safe around water
During hot summer days, lakes, rivers, reservoirs and the sea can look really tempting.
But beneath the surface can lie hidden dangers, cold temperatures an unexpected currents.
The Royal Life Saving Society has this advice to stay safe.
Look out for lifeguards
If you're looking for a place to cool off always find a lifeguarded swimming site.
It’s colder than it looks
Water at open water and inland sites is often much colder than it looks, cold water can affect your ability to swim and self-rescue.
Don’t go too far
Always swim parallel to the shore, that way you're never too far away from it.
It's stronger than it looks
Currents in the water can be very strong. If you find yourself caught in a riptide – don't swim against it – you'll tire yourself out. Swim with the current and call for help.
Bring a friend
Always bring a friend when you go swimming so if anything goes wrong you've got someone there to help.