'Respect the Water' during busiest time of year at north of England coast
With summer holidays well underway, the RNLI is today releasing figures which show this is the busiest time of year for incidents at the coast in the north of England, with the charity’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards in the region responding to the most emergencies during July and August.*
Yet, worryingly, research from the charity shows less than one-fifth (16%) of people in the north say they would call 999 immediately to request help if they saw someone fall into open water2. The charity is reminding people to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard in the event of an emergency at the coast.
Last July and August, the charity’s lifeboat crews in the north of England launched their lifeboats in response to 321 emergencies (158 and 163 respectively), nearly one-third (31%) of their total call-outs for the year. Meanwhile, RNLI lifeguards in the region responded to 2,046 incidents on beaches during July and August (686 and 1,360 respectively), 79% of their total annual incidents.
As part of the RNLI’s drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, the charity is calling on the public to help save more lives during this busy period by remembering and sharing key survival skills. First, if you see someone else in danger in the water, fight your instincts to go in after them and instead call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Research commissioned by the RNLI has revealed that less than one-fifth (16%) of people in the north of England say they would call 999 immediately to request help if they saw someone fall into open water3.
While summer air temperatures may be warm, UK and Irish waters rarely exceed 15C, making them cold enough year-round to trigger cold water shock, which causes the instinctive reaction to gasp and swim hard, which can quickly lead to drowning. With around half the coastal deaths each year being people who accidentally slip or fall into the water, the RNLI’s second piece of advice is: If you fall into cold water, fight your instincts to swim hard and thrash about. Instead, float for 60–90 seconds until the effects of cold water shock pass and you can catch your breath before then swimming to safety or calling for help.
Ben Mitchell, RNLI Community Safety Partner for the North, says:
‘With summer holidays upon us and hopefully some hot weather, our fantastic beaches are naturally a draw for many people – but sadly this also means more people tragically losing their lives or getting into serious danger at the coast.
‘We need to start a national conversation that encourages people to fight their instincts around water, so we are asking people to remember and share two skills. The first is, if you see someone else in trouble, don’t go into the water yourself as you may also end up in serious danger. Instead, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. The second is, if you fall into cold water, fight your instincts to swim hard or thrash about as this could lead to drowning. Instead, relax and float on your back, keeping your airway clear, for around 60–90 seconds. This will allow the effects of cold water shock to pass so you can regain control of your breathing and then swim to safety or call for help. Just remembering these two simple points could help save your life, or someone else’s, this summer.’
Anyone planning a trip to the beach is advised by the RNLI to choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards.
The RNLI’s national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, is part of the charity’s work to halve coastal drownings by 2024. The theme of the campaign is: ‘Fight your instincts, not the water.’ It reminds people of the risks but, most importantly, provides them with the skills to survive for longer if they unexpectedly find themselves in water, and the knowledge of what to do should they see someone else in danger. The RNLI is asking people to visit RNLI.org/RespectTheWater where they will find safety advice. On social media search #RespectTheWater.
1 RNLI incident data.
2 Basis research conducted on behalf of the RNLI (nationally representative sample across the UK n=1,010). Figures shown are respondents asked in the north of England, n=232.
3 Respondents asked (unprompted): Think about what you would do if you saw somebody who had fallen into open water. What actions, if any, would you take to help somebody in this situation? Please tell us in as much detail as you can in the box provided, starting with the very first thing you would do.
Notes to Editors
· RNLI spokespeople are available for interview. Please contact RNLI Public Relations on the numbers below to arrange interviews.
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For more information, please contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Press Officer North, on 07824 518641 or at [email protected]
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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