The RNLI has launched its Float to Live campaign in Northern Ireland with a demonstration on how to carry out the technique that could prove lifesaving for anyone who finds themselves in difficulty in the water this summer.
The demonstration which highlights a person in plain clothing accidentally entering the water before using the float to live skill to survive, took place in Portrush Harbour.
There were four accidental drownings in Northern Ireland in 2023. Many people who die from accidental drownings had no intention of entering the water, such as those walking, with causes including slips, trips and falls, being cut off by the tide, or swept in by waves.
The RNLI is reminding everyone to remember Float to Live if they find themselves in trouble in water: tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help to or swim to safety if you can.
Finn Mullen from the RNLI’s water safety team, said: “We are approaching the summer holidays which we expect to be incredibly busy at the coast and across open water. We want everyone to enjoy being around the water but we also want to make sure people stay safe and know what to do in an emergency.
“It is important that anyone visiting open water understands the risks of the environment. We want to make sure people know what to do in an emergency. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live: tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help to or swim to safety if you can.”
The demonstration which highlights a person in plain clothing accidentally entering the water before using the float to live skill to survive, took place in Portrush Harbour.
There were four accidental drownings in Northern Ireland in 2023. Many people who die from accidental drownings had no intention of entering the water, such as those walking, with causes including slips, trips and falls, being cut off by the tide, or swept in by waves.
The RNLI is reminding everyone to remember Float to Live if they find themselves in trouble in water: tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help to or swim to safety if you can.
Finn Mullen from the RNLI’s water safety team, said: “We are approaching the summer holidays which we expect to be incredibly busy at the coast and across open water. We want everyone to enjoy being around the water but we also want to make sure people stay safe and know what to do in an emergency.
“It is important that anyone visiting open water understands the risks of the environment. We want to make sure people know what to do in an emergency. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live: tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help to or swim to safety if you can.”
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00My name is Finn Mullen and I'm from the RNLI water safety team.
00:03We're here today to promote our Float to Live campaign.
00:06It's a really simple bit of advice that could save your life.
00:10If you fall into the water unexpectedly, like a lot of people do,
00:14just simply tilt your head back so that your ears are wet,
00:18relax, get your breath under control, use your hands to help you stay afloat.
00:24Don't worry about your legs if they go up or down, we all float differently,
00:27but we all float. Stay in that position until you think
00:31you're able to swim to shore. If you can't swim to shore, just simply
00:36raise one hand, use the other to help keep afloat and
00:40shout for help. The beauty about Float to Live is that
00:44anyone can do it, whether you're a swimmer or non-swimmer.
00:48All our bodies have inherent buoyancy. That's the great thing about Float to
00:53Live. So easy, anyone can do it, but you can use
00:57it to save your life. On our website we've got very powerful
01:01anecdotes from people that have used Float to Live
01:04in those emergency situations to help them survive.
01:08That's the great thing about it, it's so easy,
01:12but in that emergency situation it can make the difference between life or
01:15death. So if you see someone in trouble in the
01:18water, first thing to do is call 999 or 112.
01:25Call as early as you can. We're open 24-7, 365 days a year.
01:31If you're calling with good intent, don't worry if it's a false alarm.
01:37The sooner we can respond, the better. The real easy way to stay safe on
01:42the beach this summer is to go to a lifeguarded beach,
01:44which we're so lucky to have plenty of on the north coast
01:48and also on our south town beaches. Apart from that, our advice is always check the
01:52weather, check the tides, principally you're
01:55looking for the wind conditions on the day.
01:57Strong winds are a definite no-no for going to the beach.
02:01Always make sure you've got a means of flotation, so a life jacket or a buoyancy
02:05aid, depending on the activity. And make sure you've got a means of
02:08calling for help. So really popular these days are mobile
02:12phones, but make sure they're in a waterproof pouch.
02:14Make sure you always have them on you, not in the boat or on the canoe or on
02:20the stand-up paddle board. Lastly, just an easy win is tell
02:26someone where you're going and when you'll be back.
02:28So if you become overdue, we know where to start the search.