Water Safety

We’ve teamed up with Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat and Irish Water Safety to bring you some key water safety messages to stay safe on the water.

water safety
Irish Water Safety poster

Respect the Water is at the heart of the RNLI’s prevention work, which is aimed at promoting safety advice to all who visit the coast. We want you to enjoy the water, but we also want you to recognise its dangers and never underestimate its power.

It’s our goal to halve the number of accidental coastal deaths by 2024. The campaign aims to show those most at risk the potential dangers of water, to encourage them to reconsider their actions and adopt safer behaviour.

Current drowning figures show a clear gender divide, with men accounting for over two-thirds of those who die. So the campaign is primarily aimed at men, particularly those aged between 16 and 39 years, who are more likely to take risks. Although the safety advice is just as relevant for anyone visiting the coast.

Fight your instinct, not the water

Around 190 people lose their lives at the UK and Irish coasts each year, and over half never even planned to enter the water.

This year, Respect the Water will focus on simple skills that could save a life:

  1. If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, float to increase your chances of survival.
  2. If you see someone else in trouble in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Irish Coast Guard.

Cold water

Cold water shock is triggered in water temperatures lower than 15⁰C – the average temperature of UK and Irish waters is 12⁰C. So even in the Summer, the water temperature is cold enough to cause cold water shock, which can steal the air from your lungs and leave you helpless in seconds.

Rip currents and waves

Rip currents can travel up to the same speed as an Olympic swimmer (4.5mph) and can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea. And unexpected waves can quickly knock people off their feet.

How you can help

Read our real-life stories and share our safety messages with family and friends.

Together we can reduce coastal drowning and save more lives at sea.

Some Water Safety basic tips:

  • Take swimming lessons from a qualified instructor if you’re not a strong, competent swimmer.

  • Don’t swim if you’ve been drinking alcohol.

  • Don’t swim alone or allow others to do so.

  • Stay out of the water during thunderstorms and other severe weather. During lightning storms, seek shelter away from metal objects, open areas, and large, lone trees.

  • Don’t exceed your swimming ability. Know your limits and stick to them.

  • Check the water level before diving into a pool, ocean, pond, reservoir, or lake. Always dive with your arms extended firmly over your head and your hands together.

  • Don’t dive into unknown bodies of water, like lakes, rivers, quarries, or irrigation ditches. Jump feet first to avoid hitting your head (and breaking your neck or back) on a shallow bottom, hidden rock, or other obstruction.