Water Safety Tips

We don't think twice about teaching our children to Stop, Look and Listen before crossing the road. This simple message is reinforced year after year until they develop the knowledge, confidence, and judgement to cross roads safely on their own. The Water Safety Code gives us the same opportunity to build lifelong safety habits around water. By teaching children to: 1) STOP AND THINK: SPOT THE DANGERS 2) STAY TOGETHER, STAY CLOSE 3) CALL 999 IN AN EMERGENCY AND FLOAT TO LIVE IF IN THE WATER we help them make better decisions, recognise potential dangers, and know what to do if something goes wrong. Reinforcing these simple messages from an early age can help keep children (and adults) safe around rivers, lochs, dams, beaches, and other open water, giving them the confidence to enjoy these environments safely throughout their lives.

Cold water shock is a natural reaction that happens when the body is suddenly immersed in cold water. It can affect anyone, regardless of swimming ability, and can cause an involuntary gasp, rapid breathing, panic, and a loss of control, making it difficult to think clearly or swim effectively. Understanding cold water shock is an important part of staying safe around water. Teaching children and adults to Stop and Think, avoid entering unfamiliar water, to always enter very slowly to allow for acclimatisation, and know how to react if they fall in can make a life-saving difference. If you find yourself in cold water, remember to Float to Live: stay calm, lean back with ears submerged, keep your airway clear, and allow your breathing to return to normal before trying to swim to safety. By increasing awareness of cold water shock and practising safe behaviours, we can help everyone make better decisions around open water.

In an ever changing natural world, understanding safety within a number of weather events is essential. Familiarise yourself with Water Safety Scotland's Weather Advice so you are always prepared, no matter the weather!