|
Make sure your child knows canal dangers
The fire service is backing a Wigan Council
summer project that will teach young people how to stay safe on the
borough’s canals.
Following two recent deaths in water related incidents here in Wigan,
Neil Gaskell, Station Commander at Wigan Fire Station, is calling on
parents to enrol their children on the Children and Young People’s
Services Canalside scheme.
Running from July 21st to August 31st, Canalside Activities ’07 will
raise awareness of the dangers of open water swimming, as well as giving
young people the opportunity to develop their skills in canoeing and
kayaking.
Neil said: “The Fire Service attend many water related incidents each
year across the county and each one presents us with a difficult and
dangerous scenario, requiring our crews to be put at extreme risk.
“This year in the Wigan Borough alone, fire crews have attended two
water related incidents which have resulted in the tragic drowning of an
18 year-old man in the Leeds / Liverpool canal and a 12 year-old
schoolboy in a local pond.
“With the rise in temperature during the summer months, unauthorised
swimming in open water is expected to rise. In this country, water
temperatures never increase to such an extent that is deemed safe to
swim in. Below the surface, temperatures are low enough to induce
thermal shock causing the body to slow down until swimming is made
impossible.
Make sure your child knows canal dangers
“Children are much more susceptible to this phenomenon than adults. The
depth of water that a person can drown in is negligible, even shallow
water can pose a threat if it has a current similar to that found in a
canal lock by wash for instance. Once a child loses their footing, the
possibility exists for them to be knocked unconscious and fall into the
water, resulting in a drowning scenario.
“We fully endorse the Canalside scheme. The project has taught hundreds
of young people how to use the canals safely and responsibly over the
past few years and it can’t be stressed enough to parents how important
that message is.”
Over 30 supervised Canalside sessions will be held at various locations
across the borough. These include: Wigan Pier, Poolstock, Ince, Crooke,
Dover Lock, Plank Lane, Beech Hill, Pennington and Scotsmans Flash.
Anyone between the ages of 11 and 21 can take part in the free scheme,
with those under the age of 16 needing a consent form, completed by
their parent or guardian prior to taking part.
Outdoor Education Team Manager Eric Bradbury said: “Canalside is a lot
of fun and it provides children with something exciting and interesting
to do during the summer holidays.”
Neil Gaskell says anyone who wants to swim during the summer months
should do so in a swimming pool. He adds: “Under no circumstances is
swimming in canals safe. If young people want to swim they should take
advantage of the Lifestyle scheme, which offers free swimming to all
under 17s at all Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust swimming baths. There
is really no need for anyone to be putting their life and lives of
others at risk.”
Make sure your child knows canal dangers
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust has five swimming baths across the
borough at Wigan International Pool, Hindley Pool, Tyldesley Pool,
Ashton Leisure Centre and Howe Bridge Sports Centre.
For further information on the Canalside Project contact Eric Bradbury,
Children and Young People’s Services Outdoor Education Team Manager, on
(01942) 769812.
For further information about the Freestyle scheme visit
www.wlct.org/activelife
Notes to Editors
Further information
• For further information please contact Kennedy Stewart, Young People’s
Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust on (01942) 486927.
►
Return to LINC News
|
