Campaign to tackle drownings

IRISH Water Safety has launched a campaign to lower the incidence of drowning which results in an average of 150 deaths in Ireland each year.

The IWS campaign features two 30-second TV adverts highlighting safety and best practice for swimmers and other water users.

IWS chief executive John Leech said the campaign aimed to stress the importance of correctly wearing properly functioning lifejackets, of learning swimming and lifesaving skills and the need for constant vigilance to avoid drowning tragedies.

Launching the campaign, Minister for State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Fergus O’Dowd said it was timely as people need to be aware that taking responsibility for being safe around water will help reduce drownings during the summer ahead.

Mr O’Dowd said that although the number of people taking part in water-based activities had increased dramatically over the past decade, many participants had no formal swimming and lifesaving instruction.

“Many people simply do not know how to use lifejackets safely or what to do if they or a loved one gets into difficulty,” he said.

Mr O’Dowd said many people were lulled into a false sense of security by the picturesque scenes at Irish waterways. He urged all swimmers and other water- users to familiarise themselves with basic safety tips.

* www.iws.ie