As the warm weather continues the Irish Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland, and the RNLI have issued a joint appeal for people to stay safe on the water.
The appeal comes as sea temperatures have reached a seasonal high and many people will be tempted to go for a late summer swim.
An average of nine people drown every month nationwide and the organisations are urging the public to be mindful during the current spell of warm weather.
Temperatures in Galway are expected to reach highs of 27 degrees today, and remain well over 20 degrees in the coming days.
The weather is also expected to remain dry for the foreseeable future, with little rain until the latter half of next week.
There is currently a status yellow high temperature weather warning in place for all of Ireland, which will be in force until 8am on Saturday.
For those seeking to enjoy some time on the water during this good spell, the following advice has been given:
1. Never swim alone and ensure that somebody ashore is monitoring your activity.
2. Only swim in areas with which you are familiar.
3. Swim within your depth and stay within your depth.
4. Where possible choose lifeguard protected beaches. Lifeguards will be patrolling blue flag beaches throughout the weekend. If you are swimming elsewhere, swim in areas that are known locally as safe and where there are ringbuoys present for rescues. Ask for local knowledge to determine local hazards and safest areas to swim. Pay attention to any safety signage.
5. Always supervise children closely and never leave them alone near water.
6. Never use inflatable toys in open water as a gentle breeze can quickly bring a person away from shore.
7. Make sure that the water’s edge is shallow shelving so that you can safely enter and exit.
8. The air temperature is warm but open water is cooler than air – avoid extended stays in the water as your muscles will cool, making swimming more difficult.
9. Alcohol is a factor in one third of drownings. Do not mix it with water activities.
10. To escape a rip current, swim parallel to the shore and then swim back ashore at an angle.
11. If you see somebody in trouble in the water: SHOUT – REACH – THROW
- SHOUT to calm, encourage and orientate them.
- REACH with anything that prevents you from entering the water (clothing/stick)
- THROW a ringbuoy or any floating object to them.
12. If you experience difficulty in the water, FLOAT TO LIVE. Tilt your head back with ears submerged, relax and try to control your breathing. Move your hands to help you stay afloat.
13. When boating, always wear a correctly fitting lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device and have to hand a VHF radio and a fully charged mobile phone in a waterproof pouch.
