Stay safe at the coast: teaching young people the dangers of the seaside…

We do like to be beside the seaside. There’s something about going to the coast that brings out a special excitement – particularly in children. We all want the childhood experience to be one of enjoyment – and safety.
The UK coastline is beautiful. And the sea and sand provide a lot of fun for children and young people.  No-one wants to end that fun, but HM Coastguard spends a lot of time rescuing people for whom fun became fear. Raising awareness of the dangers is an important part of the work – and that can never start too young.
This week more than 1,000 Wirral schoolchildren have been taking part in a safety awareness course at the Emergency Services Training College in Birkenhead. 
It showcased the skills of HM Coastguard, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Merseyside Police, British Transport Police, the North West Ambulance Service and its Air Ambulance service.
Volunteers from the Hoylake and New Brighton Coastguard Rescue teams, together with Senior Coastal Operations Officers gave up their time to be a part of the event.

Christopher Smith, Senior Coastal Operations Officer said, ‘We’re not killjoys – we love the coast too. But what we want to do is to teach about the dangers so that if the worst happens, children and young people know what to do.
‘We’ve all seen stories where even very young children have known to dial 999 in an emergency and it’s getting those messages across.
‘This week we’ve talked about how to contact the Coastguard, what to do if you see someone in danger in the water, the dangers of cliffs and what you should do if you get stuck in the mud.’

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