East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service are asking children to have their eyes peeled for secret stones along Eastbourne seafront.
It comes as the Service supports the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Be Water Aware campaign, which runs from 26th April - 2nd May
As the current Covid-19 restrictions ease, it is anticipated many people will head to coastal locations and inland water beauty spots. Few people would think they might become a water incident statistic but the fact is in the UK in 2019, more people died from accidental drowning than cyclists did on the road.
Water Savvy
Eastbourne Community Fire Station Manager Vinny O’Neill said:
“As the weather warms up and holidays approach, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service are spreading the word about water safety. Drownings can happen quickly and without warning and can have a devastating impact. To highlight this issue, Secret Stones are being placed along Eastbourne Seafront to encourage everyone to be ‘Water Savvy’ when exploring the coastline this spring and summer. For more information check out our ‘Water Safety & Drowning Prevention’ page at www.esfrs.org.”
If you spot one, please take a photo and share on our social media accounts on Twitter @EastSussexFRS or search for us on Facebook. We'd also love to see your own designs!
Water Safety Tips
Top water safety tips include:
- Swim with other people so they can help if you need it
- Drinking around water is a bad idea - it impairs judgement and your ability to swim
- Actively supervise children in and around water - drowning can happen fast and silently
- If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, don’t panic, extend your arms and legs out and float on your back until the effect os cold water shock pass
- If you see someone in trouble, stay out of the water and call 999 and ask for the Fire Service if inland and the Coastguard if you are at the coast.
KidsZone
Families might also enjoy checking out our KidsZone on our website: https://www.esfrs.org/your-safety/kids-zone/
Home