Many of our sites are situated close to open bodies of water.
With this in mind, it’s vital that you’re familiar with water safety and know how to react in an emergency.
Float to Live
Around 50% of people who accidentally drown every year didn’t intend to be in the water. If you do find yourself in trouble, remember: Float to Live.
Learn to float in five simple steps:
- Tilt your head back, submerging your ears
- Relax and try to control your breathing
- Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat
- Your legs may sink but that’s OK, everyone floats differently.
- Practise floating in a supervised location like your local swimming pool.
Emergency support
If you need emergency support from the Police, Ambulance Service, Fire Service or Coastguard, please call 999 immediately. 999 should only be called for life threatening emergencies.
When you call 999, the call handler will ask you a series of questions, including:
- the location of the emergency
- what has happened
- your contact number
Please try and stay calm and give the call handler as much information as they need. They may need to call you back, so please ensure your phone is on loud speaker and there is somewhere there to take your call.
Once they have this information, the call handler should tell how how long you will need to wait and may give you instructions about what to do, such as giving basic first aid. Click here to find out more.
Don’t Drink and Drown
Don’t Drink and Drown is the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s national campaign focused on reducing the number of substance-related drownings across the UK and Ireland. 46% of accidental drownings in those aged 18-25 involve drink or drugs.
- Some routes back to Exton Park from Chester city centre involve walking along the canal. Please use an alternative route if possible, particularly if you have been drinking/taking drugs.
- Be a Mate – Don’t let your friends walk home alone. Stick together to ensure everyone gets home safely.
Cold water shock
Even on a hot day in the UK, many rivers, canals and open bodies of water can be extremely cold – and the shock of entering water which is below 15oC can be dangerous. Side effects include:
- breathing difficulties
- an increase in your blood pressure
- increased heart rate
All of these responses can lead to a feeling of panic and an increase in your breathing rate which can in turn increase the chance of inhaling water directly.
Check out these tips from the RNLI on how to deal with cold water shock:
If you enter the water unexpectedly:
- Take a minute. The initial effects of cold water pass in less than a minute so don’t try to swim straight away.
- Relax and Float to Live.
- Keep calm then call for help or swim for safety if you’re able.
If you’re planning on enjoying the water:
- Check conditions – including water temperature – before heading to the coast. Visit metoffice.gov.uk for full surf reports in the UK and Ireland.
- Wear a wetsuit of appropriate thickness for the amount of time you plan to spend in the water and the type of activity you’re doing, if entering.
- Wear a flotation device. It greatly increases your chances of making it through the initial shock. See our guidance on lifejackets and buoyancy aids (PDF 3.3MB).
Help and advice
Whether you’re planning on bodyboarding in the sea, fishing, open water swimming or surfing, it’s important to get clued up before you set off on your activity. Visit the RNLI’s website for more information.
It’s also extremely important to consider things like weather conditions, tide times and whether you have the appropriate gear when making plans in the outdoors. Check out Adventure Smart for some useful guides and advice.
