Children from Burnham-On-Sea have been learning about the dangers posed by open water during a life-saving scheme in the town.
A total of 84 children from four local primary schools were taught water safety skills at Burnham Swim and Sports Academy on Friday as part of Get Safe, an educational and water safety campaign run by the ASA (the national governing body for swimming) and one of a series of events in 2013.
The day aimed to teach children about the dangers of open water, as well as highlight that swimming is the only sport that can save your life.
There was an action-packed few hours in the water with a host of fun and educational events, including reach rescues and towing someone to safety. There were also be a number of activities including first aid and sun safety, plus a visit by the crew of Burnham’s rescue hovercraft.
The campaign also teaches children all the important things they need to know when visiting coastal and inland waters, from how they can spot the dangers themselves to how to act in an emergency.
The ASA’s David Sparkes told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The ability to recognise dangers and knowledge of water safety is just as important as being able to swim. Particularly important during the summer holidays, the ASA’s Get Safe campaign is all about raising awareness that swimming in open water such as lakes, rivers, canals and the sea is very different from the pool. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the water but in a safe and sensible way.”
