County Durham mum whose son died in water delivers safety message
Fiona Gosling lost her son Cameron 10 years ago
A mum from County Durham - whose son died from cold water shock - is joining other bereaved families across the UK to highlight the dangers of swimming in open water.
This month marks 10 years since 14 year-old Cameron Gosling lost his life after getting into difficulty in the water.
On a sunny day in July 2015, the teenager left home to hang out with friends. He was a strong swimmer and thought nothing of jumping from a flat rock into the River Wear in Bishop Auckland.
But the cold water caused the 14-year-old to suffer a shock reaction and he started to struggle in the water.
He surfaced once calling for help and his friends tried desperately to save him, getting themselves into trouble with their efforts, but, after a major search, divers found his body seven hours later.
Since his tragic death, his committed mother Fiona has visited countless schools to help spread awareness of cold water shock and the dangers of open water swimming.
She said: "Cameron lit up a room when he walked in it. He was very personable and his friends were his life. His time was spent with them every minute of every day. He was just a boy.
"He decided he was going to go to the river. They had been there for about half an hour and hadn’t touched the water at all. But then he stood in a line of four boys on a rock and waited his turn to jump in.
"As soon as he hit the water they knew he was in trouble. It was an instant thing. His friends jumped in. But it didn’t matter what they did they weren’t going to bring him home the way he left.
“We had a seven hour wait before they found him and then your whole life just changes.”
New research shows over a quarter of accidental drownings are young people
The National Water Safety Forum has found that 26% of all accidental drowning deaths in the past five years in the UK involved people aged between 10 and 29.
That makes them the most high-risk demographic, and with the Summer holidays upon us, there is likely to be an increase in the number of people entering open water like lakes and reservoirs.
The hot weather over Summer often leads to a spike in deaths in our rivers, lakes, seas and reservoirs.
Fiona urged youngsters to always tell someone where they are going and to never just jump into the water before acclimatising their body to the temperature.
She said: "Where's your entry point and where's your access point? Because no matter where you go in water, you need to be able to find a place of getting out. Have you acclimatised yourself? Have you sat in it for 5-15 minutes, just bring your body temperature down because it's lovely on the top but once you get through that surface, that water is freezing."
She added: “My message to parents would be, ‘know where your kids are.’ Just ask them. Speak to your kids about the dangers of water.
“There is information out there to explain what cold water shock is and how fast it can take over your body. Just talk to them about it to make them understand that things can happen in an instant and its irreversible.
“I didn’t have a clue what cold water shock was until it happened, and I don’t want another parent to say, ‘this will never happen to me,’ because it can.”
Life saving messages
Wuld you know what to do if you saw someone in trouble?
The Royal Life Saving Society suggest everyone familiarises themselves with the steps of the Water Safety Code:
- Stop and Think
- Stay Together
- Call 999
- Float
A spokesperson from the RLSS previously spoke to us about how to help others who are struggling in the water: "The most important thing is to make contact with them, shout to them and tell them you're going to try to help. Be sure to call 999, and in inland waters, ask for the Fire and Rescue Service.
"Your message from the side should be 'Float to Live'. Get them to put their head back, get their lungs full of air which will bring them up to the top of the water."
Don't forget to look out for local signage which might contain step-by-step guidance, and a location name to pass on to authorities.
The RLSS have put together a page with resources and tools to help keep everyone safe.
Find your float
This year, the National Water Safety Forum’s campaign for World Drowning Prevention Day is Find Your Float.
They say that if you get into trouble in the water, knowing how to float can save your life, but because we all float differently, they're encouraging people to practise.
By practising how to float in a safe environment, you can learn what floating looks and feels like for you, helping you to be better prepared for an emergency situation.
Don't enter the water
One key message people often forget in an emergency situation is to not enter the water yourself if you see someone get into trouble.
You might fall victim to the same cold water shock, get caught in the same rip tides, or in debris or machinery that caused the person to struggle in the first place.
Make a water safety plan
A high percentage of people who die by accidental drowning never had any intention of entering the water. But those who do are being told to make sure you have a plan before setting out.
The RLSS highlighted several questions you need the answers to before stepping foot into a lake, sea or river:
"Where are you going to go, and what are those dangers? What activity are you going to do? If you are going to take a stand up paddle board out, or an inflatable kayak out have you got a buoyancy aid? Have you got a way of contacting someone if you get into difficulty? Do you know how to raise the alarm?"
#GetWaterWise with these water safety tips
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.