Accidental drownings are responsible for around 1,000 deaths per year in France, yet they are mostly preventable thanks to simple actions.
- Accidental drownings account for approximately 1,000 deaths per year
- The number of accidental drownings increases in periods of high heat.
- Several good behaviors help to avoid tragedies.
Sun, pleasant temperatures, holidays… all the elements come together to make you want to take a dip in the nearest water point. But be careful, whether it is a swimming pool, the sea, a lake or a river, vigilance is still required, especially in the presence of children.
This is what the new drowning prevention campaign, launched by the ministries responsible for Health and Sports in partnership with the National Consumer Institute (INC) in May, recalls. It also presents several good behaviors to adopt to reduce the risks.
Swimming: having the right gestures to avoid drowning of the little ones
During the summer of 2021, 1,480 accidental drownings were recorded. The youngest and seniors were the first victims: 22% were under 6 years old and 26% were 65 years old and over.“The share of deaths was comparable in 2021 (27%) and in 2018 (25%)”specifies the Ministry of Health on its website. Regarding children, “Insufficient supervision is the main cause of drownings”, say the authorities. However, simple gestures can be adopted so that the little ones can have fun in the water without risk.
- Teach children to swim as early as possible: learning to swim and becoming familiar with water can begin at an early age.
- Supervise the children at all times: even if the little ones know how to swim, vigilance is essential. Bathing with them is one of the easiest and safest ways to monitor. Moreover, it is recommended to stay close to them when they play at the water’s edge.
- Entrust the supervision of a child to a single adult, who takes responsibility for it: the person in charge must then avoid doing anything else or being absent even for a few moments when the child is in the water.
- Pay special attention when swimming in “above-ground” pools: most often, they have no safety device.
Water: adults also have to be careful
Vigilance should not stop at children, adults, too, may encounter difficulties during their bathing. Here are the instructions to follow before diving to avoid an accident.
- Find out about the weather and bathing conditions: “in general, respect the safety instructions, bathing bans and choose supervised bathing areas indicated by bathing flags, where the intervention of rescue teams is faster”, advise the authorities. In addition, it is best to find out about the particularities of the swimming area (currents, natural hazards, etc.) before doing a few breaststrokes.
- Take into account your physical condition: it is not recommended to bathe if you feel a physical problem (fatigue, health problems, chills). In addition, one should not overestimate his level of swimming.
- Tell a loved one before going for a dive.
- Enter the water gradually during hot weather or prolonged exposure to the sun: to avoid thermal shock, it is recommended to get your head, neck and stomach wet and then gradually go into the water.
- Avoid alcohol consumption before bathing.
