NEWS
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This page was last updated on Monday, August 20, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
26 July 2004
Wise up to water safety this weekend and ensure that your family is not
met with unnecessary tragedy or accident.
The Chief Executive of Irish Water Safety, John
Leech, has today warned about the increased risk of water related accidents
and tragedies this coming weekend as the number of people taking to activities
in and around water will increase.
There are a number of natural phenomena that the public will be exposed
to this weekend that can make your time in or on the water more dangerous
than normal. There is a full moon on Saturday which brings with it spring
tides and water temperature will be up to 16 degrees Celsius as the Gulf
stream makes its annual visit to our shores.
The Spring tides will strengthen our tidal streams, currents and rips,
so all aquatic users need to be aware of the effect that it will have
on their relevant activity or sport.
Divers need to be alert to this hazard that earlier this year caused the
Emergency services to be mobilized. Two divers have already been lost
this
year and we do not want to sea any more tragedy.
Small recreational craft will be exposed to stronger than normal tidal
streams so they need to ensure they have sufficient fuel and they may
need to factor in longer than normal passage times for their time on the
water.
The spring tides will expose a part of the beach at Low Water where the
weever fish is found so don't go swimming one hour either side of low
water. As their sting is excruciating painful and can leave people ill
for many weeks following the sting.
The warm water and spring tides are strong and can have the effect of
carrying jellyfish in on to our beaches and bathing areas so we advise
the public not to swim one hour either side of High Water over the weekend
to avoid jellyfish. The public should be alert to the lion's mane jellyfish,
which is light brown in colour and can be as large as one metre.
A full list of life guarded bathing areas is available on our website,
there you will enjoy the added assurance of a professional lifesaver to
look after you and your family. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
Alcohol related drownings account for approximately 30% of all drownings
so don't take alcohol whilst engaged in any aquatic related activity over
the weekend
Everybody, over the weekend must wear a personal flotation device when
going
afloat to enhance their own personal safety.
Precautions are paramount whatever the aquatic based activity. If your
bank holiday leisure time involves any type of aquatic pursuit then you
need to know the risks and get adequate training for the protection of
yourself and your family.
Children are naturally curious about water and each year, too many young
children are involved in preventable aquatic injuries, according to the
World Health Organisation drowning is the primary cause of death in children
(one to four years of age). Remember, water wings and other inflatable
toys should not be used in open water. Enrolling children in Irish Water
Safety classes' means they are more likely to act safely and responsibly
towards water.
Irish Water Safety encourages everyone to take swimming, lifesaving and
rescue classes and to contact us for more information on any aspect of
water safety.
Irish Water Safety Association, The Long Walk, Galway
- Tel 091-56.44.00
- Fax 091-56.47.00
- Email info@iws.ie
- Web www.iws.ie
- Mobile:087-6789600