Launch of drowning awareness campaign
Posted: August 11, 2013
Posted in: Public Place Accidents
Following many fatalities during the summer, the RNLI has launched a major campaign to warn people of the sea’s dangers. Currently running as a trial, the RNLI are trying to better inform people about safety in the sea, with the trail running in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire throughout August. If the trial proves successful, it will hopefully expand, making it accessible to the whole country.
The RNLI ‘Respect the Water’ campaign is mainly aimed at men between the age of 25 and 65 – the group who make up 80% of fatalities at sea. Figures from the RNLI reveal that six times more men than women drown around Britain’s coastline every year.
Over 200 deaths in 2013 alone
RNLI coastal safety manager, Ross Macleod, said: “We’re trying to engage with that audience and give them some facts and figures around drowning.”
The aim of ‘Respect the Water’ is to reduce the number of incidents around Britain’s coastline. On average, around 150 people die along the UK’s coast every year (more deaths that seen in cycling accidents). However, in 2013 alone, over 200 deaths have been seen – with the majority of them having taken place in the last month’s heatwave.
Key causes of deaths at sea include:
- Rip currents
- Cold water shock (can occur at any temp below 15C, with average temp in UK being 12C)
- Slips, trips and falls
- Fatigue
- Influence of alcohol
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