Water Safety Tips
The Owen programme only endorse swimming in designated and supervised open water
Look for warning or guidance signs.
We have installed warning signs and a throw line at Owen’s place after losing Owen.
Avoid areas with drifting currents.
Do not enter fast flowing water.
- Beware of hazards that are not visible.
- Never enter the water after consuming alcohol, recreational drugs or medication that slows down your responses or makes you drowsy.
- Get out of the water as soon as you start to feel cold.
- Only enter water with supervision and rescue cover.
- Always go with friends, if anything was to happen then they can get help.
- Use the correct safety equipment for water-based activities.
- If someone gets into difficulty call 999, ask for FIRE AND RESCUE if inland or the COASTGUARD if on the coastlines and beaches.
Hidden Dangers
Water looks so inviting and fun especially on a warm day, you get hot and want to cool off. But did you know that Open Water has hidden dangers. On the surface the water may be calm but underneath the currents may be strong and controlling. The water will be cold even if the outside temperature is hot, the deeper the water the colder it will be. In the UK our inland waters hardly ever get above 15°C / 59°F. Open water is not always clear, natural objects would be reeds, weeds, soft floor, mud, clay, sand.
Manmade Objects
Hydro plant, fish passes, cars, bikes, broken fencing, debris, glass, metal structures, fishing equipment.
Animals
Animals often live in fields close to the water. Livestock, birds, ducks, geese, rats and other water animals deposit their body waste at the edge or the water. Animals may die or fall into near the water’s edge and drown.
Humans
May throw waste into the water like bodily waste, fly tipping, rotten food, chemicals.
Although water is vast and may dissolve some of the substance’s disease and pollution can still be found in water. If the contaminated water enters your mouth or an open cut, you can become infected and unwell.
