The police on Friday warned that the parents should take care of their children at swimming areas as the risk of drowning is significant high during the summer.
This summer, the police have received several cases for investigation, in which a child who has gone into water has been in danger of death or died in the water, said police in a press release.
Small children and especially children who cannot swim must be looked after constantly, and water safety equipment in accordance with the law must be provided, such as life jackets when boating.
The warm weather in July attracts people to beaches and the water’s edge, which is why it is important to pay attention to water safety. The more people there are at the water’s edge, the greater the risk of accidents.
“When moving around on beaches and near water, parents have a responsibility to make sure that their children are safe and that their lives are not in danger. When moving on the water by any means, children must always wear a life jacket. On beaches, it is a good idea for children to wear a life vest, for example”, said Chief Superintendent of the National Police Board Konsta Arvelin.
On average, there are 140 to 145 deaths by drowning in Finland every year. About half of these occur during the summer months, said Anne Hiltunen from the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation.
“Parents are still responsible for their children at the beaches, even though there are also lifeguards present. Parents must be within arm’s reach of their children at all times. A good rule of thumb is that a child playing in the water must be between an adult and the shoreline. Leave out any distractions that disturb this supervision and focus on the child instead,” Hiltunen said.
- Swiming
- Children
- Drowning
- Summer
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
