Water Safety - Float to Live

I’m sure most people have seen the float to live campaign by the RNLI, but if you haven’t you should!

If you attend the beach regularly, or you have a favourite spot by the water’s edge, following these simple tips could save your life if you end up in the water. Even the strongest of swimmers could end up in difficulty for one reason or another so being able to stay calm and remember “float to live” will give you the best chance possible.

It’s human nature to panic when you find yourself struggling and the overwhelming instinct will tell you to swim hard. However, many factors may limit your ability to do that, such as cold-water shock, which will make you gasp uncontrollably and the probability of you breathing in water is very high. You could be injured and no longer can get yourself to safety.

However, you end up in the water remember “float to live.”

The RNLI have five steps in this process….

Step 1

Tilt your head back with ears submerged

Step 2

Relax and try to breathe normally.

Step 3

Move your hands to help you stay afloat

Step 4

It's OK if your legs sink - we all float differently

Step 5

Spread your arms and legs to improve stability.

🛟 Remember, everyone wants to have fun at the beach but if you do find yourself in an emergency situation or spot someone else in trouble, seek help from the Lifeguards on the beach, or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard 📟