How to stay safe in lakes and rivers during hot weather

Amid a number of incidents this month during hotter weather, The Royal Life Saving Society cites the Water Safety Code, which includes four key steps for what to do whenever you're around water.

Ellen Manning
·4-min read
People enjoy the warm weather at Clevedon Marine Lake in Clevedon. Picture date: Monday August 12, 2024. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images)
Water safety experts are urging people to be careful while swimming in open water in hot weather. (Stock image: PA)

Water safety experts have issued renewed reminders about the dangers of swimming in lakes and rivers, amid a spate of incidents in the recent hot weather.

Police in Cambridgeshire recovered a body after searching for a 16-year-old boy who went missing after getting into difficult while swimming in a lake with a group of friends. It comes after a 15-year-old girl died in a "tragic accident" while playing with her friends in the River Severn last week. Holli Smallman's body was recovered from the river after a search on Friday.

Elsewhere, a woman was also left fighting for her life after being pulled from the water at Salford Quays on Tuesday afternoon. And on Sunday evening, a two-year-old boy died after being pulled from a canal in Wolverhampton.

A woman is fighting for her life after being pulled from the water at Salford Quays on Tuesday afternoon (13 August). (Reach)
A woman is fighting for her life after being pulled from the water at Salford Quays on Tuesday afternoon (13 August). (Reach)

Matt Croxall, charity director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS), said in light of recent incidents, it is more important than ever that people enjoy water safely.

He told Yahoo News UK: “We are aware of the incident in Cambridge and our thoughts are with the missing boy’s family. This does however underline how important it is to maximise every opportunity to reach as many people as possible with the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s vital water safety messaging.”

Warmer weather is directly linked to an increase in fatal drowning incidents, the RLSS said, with its National Drowning Report 2023 finding that 46% of drownings occur in the summer months, of which 75% are aged between 13 to 17 years old.

“More than half of accidental drownings have occurred at inland open water sites – and many of these drownings occur due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of open water safety. By taking simple steps and following the Water Safety Code and making people aware of what they need to take into account before they get in, and when they are in the water will save lives – knowing the risks associated and your limits could make all the difference.

“We are urging people to follow the below advice and take note of the dangers to avoid getting into difficulty, providing them with the tools to stay safe while enjoying all the benefits that come with this activity."

The RLSS cites the Water Safety Code, which includes four steps.

It says whenever you are around water:

  • Stop and Think - Take time to assess your surroundings and research local signs and advice.

  • Stay Together - When around water, always go with friends and family and swim at a lifeguarded venue.

In an emergency:

  • Call 999 - Or the coastguard where relevant, and do not enter the water to rescue.

  • Float - If you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help. Or throw something that floats to somebody who has fallen in.

It also publishes a list of do's and don'ts when it comes to open water safety. These are:-

Don’t:

  • Swim at unsupervised (un-lifeguarded sites) including lakes, quarries, reservoirs and rivers

  • Jump into the water until you have acclimatised to the water temperature

  • Jump into the water from heights or ‘tombstone’

  • Swim into deep water which will be colder

Do:

  • Swim at supervised (lifeguarded) sites

  • Swim parallel with the shore, where you can quickly get to safety

  • Swim with friends or family, so that you can help each other if you need to

  • Look for signs and advice about the specific dangers at the place where you are swimming

  • Think about what you will do if something goes wrong

  • Contact a reputable outdoor pursuits or coasteering centre if you want to take part in more extreme activities

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