Five water deaths in Lincolnshire in 2022 prompt safety warning
In total, across the country there were 226 accidental drownings last year and our Get Water Wise campaign returns to warn of the dangers
We're being warned about the dangers of inland water as new stats show that 60% of all water deaths in 2022 happened inland.
In total 597 people died in UK waters last year, with 226 of those deaths being accidental drownings - 5 of which were in Lincolnshire.
That's nineteen fewer deaths than in 2021, but the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) say the numbers are still unacceptably high.
They also say there's particular concern with the numbers of people dying after getting into difficulty in rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs and quarries.
Safety Message
Steph Wilson is a swim teacher and is the Co-Founder of SWiRL Global - a Metheringham company which looks to bring inclusion and community to aquatics.
She says the message on water safety needs to be spread...
"A lot of people think with water safety, it's all about - 'what if I'm going swimming somewhere?' - but that's not necessarily what we need to be thinking about.
"We need to be thinking about every single time we're out and about near the water, whether we intend to swim or not. So the number one, most important thing is, don't be alone. Ideally be in a group of a minimum of three people. That means if something does happen to someone, you've got one person to give help and you've got one person to get help.
"Secondary to that is knowing exactly what to do in the worst case scenario. So everybody should familiarize themselves with the float to live campaign, run by the RNLI and this is really important regardless of whether we live next to the sea or not.
"In the UK, water is a lot colder than you might think, even on a nice sunny day and we can be susceptible to cold water shock. This does raise the risk of inhaling water, gasping in when we fall in because it's cold, and so to overcome that, if we've roll on to our backs and float, take some nice steady breaths until we calm and then we can either make the decision to shout for help or see if we can self rescue.
"But everybody must know how to float, and this is something that everyone can practice. They can talk about, we can play games, even out of the pool, we can play roll over games in the bath, laying on our bellies and rolling over and play pretend. and reinforce that message when we're out and about.
"Finally, I'd say, it's really, really important to know that if somebody is in distress in the water - not to get into the water yourselves.
"We don't know why that person's got into distress, and so it's really, really important to find out what to do to keep ourselves safe and still help them. And the biggest thing that anybody out there can do, apart from having their mobile phone with them."
Men in the summer at highest risk
Almost half (46%) of all UK accidental drownings last year took place in the summer months of June, July and August, when the hot weather led to many people taking a swim in local lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
The statistics from 2021 also showed that it was mostly men who died in these summer accidents - 83% of the accidental drowning victims during this time were male.
Respect the Water
The National Water Safety Forum has provided life-saving advice that can help keep you and your family safe.
Their advice is to remember the Call Tell Throw message if someone is in trouble in the water this summer:
- Call 999 – ask for Fire & Rescue if inland or the Coastguard if by the sea
- Tell the struggling person to try to float on their back
- Throw them something that floats
#GetWaterWise
Two years ago we launched our own #GetWaterWise campaign to try and highlight the issue of accidental drownings and try and prevent further tragedies.
Our campaign is raising awareness of the risks posed by entering open water, and what safety tips you need if you see someone who is struggling in the water.
In 2022 we went to Parliament with the Royal Life Saving Society to speak with MPs who wanted to raise the issue in government, and our #GetWaterWise minute was played on radio stations across the country, along with Hits Radio Lincolnshire, to provide a platform for families who've lost loved ones to speak directly to listeners about their experience.
Here are some top tips to keep you and your family safe in open water this summer:
#GetWaterWise - tips to stay safe over Summer
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.