Water safety
Warmer weather brings more of us out to rivers, lakes, canals and the coast. A few simple habits, and one technique worth knowing, can stop a day out turning into an emergency.
Cold water can kill, even on a warm day
The sun can be out and the air warm, but open water stays cold underneath. That cold can set off what is known as cold water shock: a sudden gasp, a racing heart, and a few moments where you can’t control your breathing. It comes on in seconds, and it is one of the main reasons people get into trouble.
It catches out strong swimmers as readily as anyone. Being fit, or being a confident swimmer, doesn’t protect you from it.
Important: Staying safe near water
Most water-related tragedies happen to people who never planned to go in. A few habits make a real difference:
- Don’t jump or dive straight into open water. Get in slowly so your body has a chance to adjust to the cold.
- Don’t swim alone. Stay where other people can see you.
- Keep alcohol out of it. Drinking and water don’t mix.
- Keep children within arm’s reach near any water, however shallow it looks.
- Read the safety signs and follow local advice about where it’s safe to be.
Water hides its risks
Open water rarely looks as dangerous as it is. It’s colder than it looks. Currents can run fast under a calm surface, and the bottom can drop away with no warning. Edges along rivers, meres and reservoirs are often uneven or slippery, so it’s easy to go in by accident.
If you get into trouble, Float to Live
If you fall in, or feel yourself struggling, the instinct is to thrash about and try to swim hard. Fight that instinct and float first. This is the RNLI’s advice, and it saves lives.
- Lean back in the water and tilt your head back, with your ears under the surface.
- Try to relax and let your breathing settle.
- Move your hands and legs gently to help you stay afloat.
- Your legs might sink, and that’s fine. Everyone floats differently.
- Once the cold water shock has passed and you feel calm, call for help, or swim to safety if you can.
Important: In an emergency, call 999
If you see someone in trouble in the water:
- Call 999 straight away. 112 works too. Inland, by a river, canal or mere, ask for the fire service. At the coast, ask for the coastguard.
- Don’t get in after them. People who enter the water to help often get into difficulty themselves, and then there are two people in trouble.
- Look for a lifebuoy, a rope, or anything that floats to throw to them. Shout to them to lean back and float on their back while help is on the way.
Learn the technique that saves lives
The RNLI’s Float to Live page has a short film showing exactly how to float, along with advice for days out near the water. It’s worth a couple of minutes before any summer trip to the coast, a lake or the canal.