1. By the end of this session, you will:
Water Safety
By the end of this session, you will:
Be able to identify the dangers in and around water
Know the risks to your health
Recognise peer pressure and develop strategies to avoid it
Be able to help your friends and family stay safe

2. Spot the dangers
This image, which was originally posted to Flickr.com is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

3. Spot the dangers
© Copyright Roger May and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

4. Spot the dangers
Image from public domain, no attribution required.

5. Spot the dangers
Image from public domain, no attribution required.

6. Spot the dangers Icy cold Mud slippery can be difficult to get out of
It’s difficult to estimate depth
Hidden currents, tree roots or branches
Weirs and locks
Drowning
No life guards
Pollution, hidden rubbish, fishing line

7. Danger 1: Cold Shock
When you jump into a body of water you experience a cold-shock response: 1) You gasp for air – you could breathe in water; 2) You hyperventilate – which can make you light-headed and, as your brain is deprived of oxygen, you may become disoriented; 3) Cold Shock Response, which speeds up the heart rate, may conflict with the Diving Response, which does the opposite, causing your heart to go into abnormal rhythms which can cause sudden death; 4) Your muscles will become weaker – your muscle ability can drop by as much as 25% – so you may not be able to keep yourself afloat or pull yourself out; 5) Your body will shiver, which will affect your coordination and reduce your swimming ability. Professor Michael Tipton finds out how cold water affects Olympic swimmers:

8. Danger 2: Currents
Moving water, such as rivers, may look calm but may have strong currents below the surface;
Even reservoirs and ponds can have currents

9. Danger 3: Sickness
Open water can be polluted. Things that might make you ill include:
1) Rat urine – can cause an illness called Weil’s Disease. Weil’s disease can initially cause flu-like symptoms and, if untreated, the secondary stage can cause death;
2) Cryptosporidium – a parasite that gives you bad stomach cramps and diarrhoea;
3) Trachoma – an eye infection that can lead to blindness;
4) Whipworm – worm eggs that hatch inside the body after being swallowed;
5) Toxic algae – which can cause skin rashes and stomach upsets.

10. Danger 4: What lies beneath…
From out of the water, or above the water, you may not be able to see what’s under the water.
What might be under water that could be a risk to you?
large rocks or machinery;
shopping trolleys or dead branches,
fish hooks or broken fishing line,
And many other things - all of which could injure you.

11. Drowning
Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid
Call 999 if someone:
Is unconscious in or near water; or
Has inhaled water; or
Has difficulty breathing and/or swallowing; or
Has foam around the mouth and/or nose; or
Is unable to get out of water without help.
Video:

12. Risky activities
Tombstoning is a high-risk activity that involves jumping or diving from a height into water.
What risks are involved in tombstoning?

13. Risky Activities The depth of the water can change
Water may seem deeper from above
There could be hidden objects, like rocks
Cold water can cause shock
Strong currents can be dangerous
It can be difficult to get out of the water

14. Should Tom Take the risk? What would you do?
Risky Activities
Peer pressure is feeling like you have to do something just because all your friends are doing it
Watch this video about Tom:
Should Tom Take the risk? What would you do?

15. Risky Activities
Was it worth the risk?

16. Peer Pressure
How could you avoid peer pressure?

17. Tell a Friend, Save a Friend
Identify risks
Be careful around water and avoid risky behaviour
Don’t be a victim of peer pressure
Sharing this information with friends and family could save their life.

18. At the end of this session, you:
Water Safety
At the end of this session, you:
Can identify the dangers in and around water
Know the risks to your health
Recognise peer pressure and develop strategies to avoid it
Are able to help your friends and family stay safe

19. Water Safety Week
Design and produce a poster covering one or more of the water safety messages in this presentation
The best posters will be used in future campaigns