Campaigner whose son drowned in water says government's water safety plans don't go far enough
Beckie Ramsay has run the charity Doing It For Dylan since her son died in water in 2011
A Lancashire-based campaigner who helped get water safety onto the national curriculum says the current plans don't go far enough.
Beckie Ramsay, whose son Dylan died aged 13 while open-water swimming in Chorley, successfully campaigned for water safety to be added to the national curriculum from September this year.
New statistics from the National Water Safety Forum show there were four deaths in open water in the county last year.
Ramsay is not satisfied with the quality of the water safety additions to the curriculum, calling them "blasé" and " minimal".
Ramsay said: "I think what would make the most impact would be to have actual lesson plans for teachers.
"We could just make water safety education the same across the board.
"A postcode lottery as to whether or not you receive water safety advice is just not acceptable."
Uniformity of teaching, Ramsay believes, will also help teachers know how to get the vital message across in the most powerful way.
Ramsay said: "If I walk in and say I'm here to speak about water safety, there's still laughing and giggling.
"As soon as I say, 'I'm here to talk about water safety because my son passed away,' I've got their full attention."
Ramsay also said that when she does risk assessments of popular swimming spots with environmental agencies and councils, she regularly sees stretches of water with no lighting or life-saving equipment.
The Department for Education has been approached for comment.
Back in January, Minister for School Standards Georgia Gould MP addressed the introduction of water safety information into the national curriculum.
Gould said the updated curriculum "responds to the realities facing children today."
Beckie's advice for swimmers
- No lifeguard? No swimming.
- Know the name of the place you are going swimming - if you get into difficulty, someone will need to tell the emergency services where to go.
- Make sure your mobile phone is working and fully charged.
- Don't go to a swimming spot alone.
- Acclimatise to the water - don't jump in: "cold water shock is an instant killer."
- If you start feeling the effects of cold water, for example pins and needles in your toes, then it's definitely time to get out and have a break.
- If you fall into water, try to stay calm and control your breathing, and try to float on your back.
- If you have anything that will float, such as a football, you could throw it to the drowning person to give them a potential flotation device.
- If they're close to the edge, grab a stick and reach it out to them while lying down. Do not do this while standing up - they're likely to pull you in with them.