How the RNLI is helping people Find their Float this World Drowning Prevention Day

World Drowning Prevention Day, marked annually on 25 July, highlights the impact of drowning on families and communities around the world, alongside promoting lifesaving solutions.

This World Drowning Prevention Day, the ask is the same as last year: Find your Float and discover what floating looks and feels like for you.

Earlier this summer we launched our Float to Live campaign for 2026: over 50 people have told the RNLI that floating helped to save their life, but all bodies are different, and we all float differently.

Practising how to float in a safe environment gives people the opportunity to learn what floating looks and feels like for them, helping them be better prepared for an emergency.

Influencer event at the RNLI College

In July, the RNLI invited 12 influencers to have a go at floating in the Sea Survival Pool at the RNLI College, Poole. It was a fantastic day, and we have already seen influencers sharing reflections and lifesaving advice with their followers.

The event included people with a range of backgrounds and abilities in the water – from just learning to swim recently to extreme watersport athletes. The response from participants was really encouraging with all of them finding how they float.

Teenagers and young adults are disproportionately represented in accidental drowning figures, so we know that reaching young people with our water safety advice is particularly important. This event is just one example of the ways we are trying to reach new audiences with this lifesaving skill.

British Ambassador to Ireland marks World Drowning Prevention Day

To mark World Drowning Prevention Day, Her Excellency Kara Owen, British Ambassador to Ireland took part in a Float to Live demonstration at the Clontarf baths in Dublin this week. The Ambassador was accompanied in the water by Linda-Gene Byrne, RNLI Water Safety Lead, who advised on how to carry out Float to Live safely.

The Ambassador also recorded a personal message for RNLI volunteers and supporters, saying ‘What you do is really extraordinary. You are willing to spend your personal time helping other people and saving lives.’ You can watch her video below. Ambassador Owen was also present at the GAA’s recent All-Ireland hurling semi-final at Croke Park where RNLI volunteers shared water safety advice in front of over 83,000 fans.

Get involved

Please use World Drowning Prevention Day as a moment to have a go at floating in a safe, supervised environment, and encourage your friends and family to do so as well.

We’ll be posting on RNLI social channels today and over the coming weeks, so please do show your support and help this lifesaving message go further by sharing.

Keep an eye out for events coming up near you to mark World Drowning Prevention Day – the National Water Safety Forum will be keeping a list of UK-based events updated on their website.

You can also help to share our lifesaving advice by:

• Sharing Float to Live advice with your networks, especially young people. You can send them this link: RNLI.org/FloatSkill
• Encouraging people to visit a lifeguarded beach.
• Watching and sharing our Float to Live video.

Next month, we’ll be sharing an update on how the RNLI supported World Drowning Prevention Day both at home and internationally.

Find out more

You can find out more by catching up on the Float to Live webinar from this year.

Need more resources or support?

Do you want to discuss more resources or support to help you share our Float to Live message? Reach out to [email protected]