Water safety official wants free education
BBCA water safety official wants to see more free information available for staying safe in the sea.
Alan Jenner, outdoor and adventure sports development officer at the Guernsey Sports Commission, said that free information is important so the public can stay safe while enjoying themselves.
He believes the focus locally should be on those that cannot afford private swimming lessons to support them to be more confident in the water.
Currently state schools require key stage 2 pupils to recognise and respond to dangers around water, be able to safely enter and exit the water, swim 25 metres confidently and be able to tread water for one minute.
Jenner said: "It is a concern that people are scared of the water and we're trying to very slowly break that down and try to instill confidence as much as we possibly can because panic is a major factor when it comes to water safety."
Kevin Penney, Vice-President of the Guernsey Swimming Club, believes more can be done for swimming education in schools.
He said: "As a club point of view we do like to encourage all types of swimming, so we do try and get children swimming as early as possible because it kind of breaks the fear a little bit as well."
The Guernsey Sports Commission hopes to provide a free website with all the resources for people to make informed decisions going to the beach.
Jenner continued: "There is no expense to this really, if there is support for water safety campaigns and getting the message out."
Guernsey is expected to see spring tides of around 9.5m today and Saturday evening.
Jenner warned people to avoid climbing on rocks to avoid the risk of being stranded.
If there is an emergency the main advice is to call 999 if you have a mobile or shout for help.
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