Education is key - Sharing of knowledge leads to a safer tomorrow.
By Ellen O' Flynn, Senior Beach Lifeguard, Redbarn Beachguard Station.
Prevention is key in water safety but we must ask ourselves what the best ways are to prevent accidents around water. One of the main answers to this lies in education. By educating the public about hazards and safe practice around water we can prevent countless accidents from happening.
Water safety education can be carried out both on the beach and in schools. Water safety education programmes that have been carried out in primary schools have had a really positive effect that beach lifeguards notice on a daily basis when they hear children say “Remember we learned about that in school” as children discuss the red over yellow flags on the beach or perhaps when they read a sign warning about the dangers of rip currents.
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| Tir Na Si Open Farm where Cork Co. Co. run Safety Events. |
Cork County Council carries out a program throughout the county whereby schools can achieve a Safety Awareness Flag by learning about key water, road & farm safety principles. Pupils in each school are elected Junior Water & Road Safety Officers and complete a set of tasks set out for them by the Cork County Council such as a “Think Tank” where they set up a notice board in the school and encourage their classmates to spread key water & road safety messages around the school.
Check out Cork Co. Council recent Safety Events for schools. https://vimeo.com/195320956
Through involvement in water & road safety education programs in schools, children develop an appreciation of the respect that both water & road safety deserves and they also learn how to foster this respect in others.
Safety education is continued by Cork County Council beach lifeguards during the summer season. An annual Education Day is held on each lifeguarded beach in the county. On this day members of the public can benefit from water safety talks from the lifeguards, educational posters and fun water safety-themed games on the beach.
Aside from the education day itself, lifeguards endeavor to make education and sharing their knowledge of water safety with the public a key part of their daily duties. If you ever have a question or want to clarify some information make sure you approach a lifeguard and they will be happy to help you.
Education helps us to develop an awareness and respect for the water and its dangers. It is an invaluable tool in the prevention of accidents on the beach. Whether you are on the beach or back in school in September make sure you get involved and benefit from all of the water & road safety education programs that are available to you.
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