Prevent the risk of drowning

At all ages, swimming involves risks, adopt the right prevention reflexes.

Learning to swim

Most drownings are preventable. According to the 2016 health barometer of Public Health France, nearly one in six French people (16%) say they cannot swim; this proportion increases with age: 5% among
15-24 years old and over 35% among 65-75 year olds.

It is therefore important to teach children to swim as early as possible or at least to accustom them to the aquatic environment, even if these conditions alone cannot protect against drowning in children. It’s never too late to learn to swim, even as an adult.

Supervision of children

In children, regardless of the place of bathing, a child should always be supervised at all times and brought together by a single responsible adult, the best being to bathe with the child.

Adopt the right behaviors

In adults, take into account their state of health, do not swim if you experience a physical disorder (fatigue, health problems, chills), do not overestimate their physical condition and their level of swimming, avoid swimming. alcohol consumption, re-entering the water gradually, especially after long exposure to the sun.

Take into account the environment and safety instructions

It is also necessary to take into account the bathing environment, especially in watercourses, bodies of water and at sea, to be informed about the weather conditions and, in general, to respect the safety instructions, swimming bans. It is also recommended to bathe in the supervised areas indicated by the bathing flags, where if necessary, the intervention of the rescue teams is the fastest.

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