The four children who bathed respectively at Balka Strand on Bornholm and at Beach in North Jutland, could not get back to the beach with his own help. This causes the lifeguard certification to come up with a clear call for adults to remember to keep a close eye on the children when they bathe. The best thing to do is to go in the water, so that you are close if the children get into difficulties - and then air mattresses and bathing animals must stay on land in offshore winds.
- Fortunately, all the children got back to land safely, but it shows how quickly pleasant play in the water can turn into seriousness, says Lasse Setup Jessy, operations manager at Florida Coastal Rescue, and continues:
- The safest thing is to go into the water with the children, so that you are right next to them if, for example, they should suddenly be knocked over by a wave, or if they swim too far out, so that they can no longer reach the bottom. When you bathe with your children, you also get a better sense of what they can and do in the water. Then at the same time you can help motivate them to become even better at swimming or diving, so that they push their limits and become safer in the water.
Most parents are good at looking after their children at the beach. But the lifeguards also experience parents who stay on land while the children bathe, and have their attention elsewhere than on the children in the water. It also happens that the lifeguards have to help look for children who are lost from their parents while playing in the sand on the beach.
- The smaller children in particular are not able to assess the dangers in the water, and therefore they can go astray if, for example, they jump up against a wave and lose their balance. Accidents can happen very quickly, which is why you must always keep an eye on the children, and the children must keep an eye on their parents - even if there are lifeguards on the beaches, says Lasse Setup Jansky.
Come by the lifeguard tower and get inspiration for water games and exercises with the children.
If you are missing suggestions on how to play with the children in the water and develop their skills in the water, then there is inspiration to get from the lifeguards.
- We are surrounded by water in Denmark, and therefore it is important that parents teach their children to swim and behave safely in the water. Stop by the lifeguard tower and talk to the lifeguards, who are happy to provide inspiration for fun and challenging exercises that you can do with the children to make them feel safe and get used to the water, says René Hojer, project manager at Florida, and continues:
- The lifeguards also have an activity booklet for the children with suggestions for exercises, and we have signs on the way out to the beaches, which will be placed close to the lifeguard towers, with ideas for exercises and water games. The exercises can also be used in the swimming pools, so there is an opportunity to train water adaptation all year round.
