Lifeguards help school pupils learn all about sea safety (From Falmouth Packet)

Lifeguards help school pupils learn all about sea safety

10:36am Friday 7th September 2012 in News

School children in Cornwall will be heading to the beach with RNLI lifeguards over the next couple of weeks to learn vital lessons about how to keep themselves safe in the surf.

Dozens of children from schools across the county will be taking part in the charity’s unique 'Hit the Surf' scheme at Hayle and Fistral this month. The programme sees RNLI lifeguards delivering surf safety sessions – combining theory and practical lessons, which aim to make the children more capable and confident in the water.

The charity’s expert lifesavers will be covering important subjects like the role of lifeguards; key beach hazards; the meaning of the beach safety flags; and what to do if you get into difficulty in the water. Surfing and bodyboarding are two of the top causes of incidents dealt with by RNLI lifeguards each season, so Hit the Surf aims to tackle some of the common problems associated with the activities.

Dave Gorman, from the RNLI, said: "Hit the Surf is a fun and active programme for the children to get involved in but it also carries some very important messages about how to stay safe in the surf and what to do should they find themselves in difficulty. Bodyboarding is particularly popular with children so we want to make sure they have the right skills and knowledge to be able to enjoy themselves but keep safe at the same time.'

In total up to 1,700 children, aged between eight and 12, from 65 schools will be taking part in the charity’s unique Hit the Surf scheme in 2012. Schools interested in participating in future Hit The Surf sessions should contact Dave Gorman on 07970 080806.