Aquatic Survival

150 Pages·2017·3.72 MB·English

Pilot Project Partner
Aquatic Survival
Self-Survival and Rescue Manual
NOVEMBER 2017 DEVELOPED FOR LOW-RESOURCE AREAS
About this manual
The primary aim of the Aquatic Survival Self-Survival and Rescue Manual is to save lives by
giving people important water safety education and where feasible, basic self-survival and
rescue skills.
The programme is focused towards young people living in low-resource areas with limited
or no access to existing drowning prevention initiatives.
It has been developed to help organisations and individuals implement the Aquatic Survival
programme as part of a local or national drowning prevention strategy.
This manual has been designed as a guidance document and can be adapted to suit the
local environment. Where possible this document has incorporated existing best practice
developed by drowning prevention organisations.
This manual will be reviewed after 3 years. Please send any comments and feedback to:
[email protected]
November 2017
Piloted and developed by:
Technical support given by:
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
West Quay Road
Poole
Dorset
BH15 1HZ
England

Tel: [phone]
Web: RNLI.org
Email: [email protected]
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity registered
in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736).
Registered charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.
Disclaimer
This document may be reproduced without the prior consent The content of this manual is for general guidance only.
of the RNLI. The RNLI takes no responsibility for any outcomes It represents good practice as at the date of publication and should
as a result of this manual. not be considered as legal advice. Those using this manual should
seek professional advice as and when necessary. The RNLI does not
Photos: Various contributors for the RNLI, Shutterstock accept responsibility for use, or for any errors in this document.
Contents
Introduction 2
Unit 1: Understanding the drowning process 5
1.1 What is drowning? 6
1.2 Why people drown 7
Understanding the problem 8
1.3 People at risk of drowning 8
Common high-risk groups 9
Unit 2: Aquatic Survival programme 11
2.1 The role of the Aquatic Survival programme 12
Water safety education 12
Self-survival and rescue 12
Types of intervention 13
Funding 13
Water safety education 14
Unit 3: Planning and preparation 15
3.1 Methods of delivery 16
3.2 Engaging stakeholders 17
3.3 Resources 17
Skills and qualities of teachers 18
Venue 18
Unit 4: Teaching the messages 19
4.1 Key water safety messages 20
Theme 1: Spot the dangers 20
Theme 2: Keep yourself safe 20
Theme 3: Keep others safe 20
4.2 How to teach the key water safety messages 20
Lesson plan – Key water safety messages 21
Lesson plan – Key water safety messages 22
1
Contents
Self-survival and rescue 49
Unit 5: Planning and preparation 50
5.1 Resources 51
a suitable swimming venue. 51
Time 51
Teachers 51
Teaching equipment 52
5.2 Selecting a safe teaching and swimming area 53
Identifying a safe teaching area 53
Swimming area – suitability checklist 55
Setting up a teaching area 56
Checking the teaching area 57
Unit 6: Lesson preparation 58
6.1 Safety of the teacher 58
Correct clothing 58
Sun safety 59
6.2 Safety of the students 60
Keeping students safe 60
6.3 Organising the class 62
6.4 Grouping students 62
Organisation and safety checklist 63
Unit 7: Class management 64
7.1 Setting rules 64
Code of behaviour 64
Dealing with disruptive students 65
7.2 Setting expectations 65
Routine 65
Motivation 65
7.3 Managing the class 66
Positioning 66
Practice 66
Buddy system 66
7.4 Demonstrations 67
2
Contents
Unit 8: Rescue skills for teachers 68
8.1 Preparing for a rescue 68
Getting help 68
Managing the class in an emergency 69
Types of rescue 69
8.2 Land-based rescues 70
Reach rescue 70
Throw rescue 71
8.3 Water-based rescues 72
Wade rescue 72
Swimming rescues 73
Unit 9. Teaching requirements 76
9.1 Core skills 76
9.2 How to teach the core swimming skills 77
Progression 77
Session schedule 78
9.3 R egistration and assessment 79
Registration 79
Assessment 79
Registration and assessment form 80
Unit 10: Lesson plans 81
Session 1-15 81 - 142
Unit 11: Games and activities 143
3
Introduction
Many of us use water daily for bathing, cleaning, Swimming is rarely part of formal education,
recreational activities and transportation. and resources containing information on
In high-resource areas, many of these activities how to stay safe in and around water are
are conducted in the safe environment of the generally unavailable.
home, or in supervised and regulated areas. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
In low-resource areas, many people have no and partner organisations have developed
choice but to conduct these essential activities this Aquatic Survival programme, specifically
in open water despite understanding the risks designed for use in low-resource areas.
involved. Water transportation is generally
This manual contains simple but important
unregulated, and boats rarely contain adequate
guidance for organisations who wish to use
safety equipment.
the programme.
Falling into water is a real risk, and the
consequences can be serious – particularly
if a person is unable to swim or be rescued.
4
Unit 1: Understanding the drowning process
Learning outcomes
1.1 Understand what drowning is.
1.2 Understand why people drown.
1.3 Know who is at risk of drowning.
5
Unit 1: Understanding the drowning process
1.1 What is drowning?
About 70% of the earth’s surface is covered
by water. Water is used for many everyday
activities such as recreation, bathing, washing,
fishing and transportation.
In high-resource areas, day-to-day contact
with water is generally limited to safe
environments in the home or in supervised
swimming areas. However, in low-resource
areas, many people use open water sources
such as ponds, rivers and the ocean to carry
out the same activities.
Falling into water is a real risk and the
consequences can be serious, particularly
if a person is unable to swim or be rescued.
Drowning occurs when a person is unable to
breathe because their head is submerged
in water.
6
Unit 1: Understanding the drowning process
1.2 Why people drown Learning how to swim is a key skill to prevent
drowning but it is also important that relevant
The reasons people drown can be shown by
safety messages are taught so that people are
the drowning chain. Each link in the chain can
aware of the dangers posed by being in and
result in drowning, or can lead to the next link.
around water.
1 2 3 4
1. Lack of 2. Uninformed or 3. Lack of 4. Inability to cope
knowledge, unrestricted access supervision or once in difficulty
disregard for, or to the hazard surveillance
misunderstanding
of the hazard
• Lack of education • Allowing people • Swimming in areas • Being unable to
in water safety or access to use where there is no swim to safety.
e
s the dangers of the dangerous areas one
u
Ca local environment. of water – such to provide rescue.
as areas with
strong currents.
me • To provide water • To make people • To encourage • To provide
m safety education aware of the safe people never to community
a
r to water users. areas to enter enter the water swimming
g
pro • Through education water. alone, and provide and rescue
al comes recognition close supervision programmes.
viv and therefore to young children.
r
Su avoidance
tic of danger.
a
u
q
A
e
h
t
f
o
e
ol
R
Simple key water safety messages can help
tackle the first three links in the drowning
chain. In addition, some organisations and
individuals may have the time and resources
to teach swimming and to tackle the final link
in the chain.
7
Unit 1: Understanding the drowning process
Understanding the problem 1.3 People at risk of drowning
Why and how people drown are influenced by Drowning is a risk for anyone who undertakes
their exposure to water, the risks they take activities in or near water, irrespective of
while they are in and around water, and their their swimming ability. Even strong swimmers
ability to save themselves. Because of this, can drown.
drowning affects different groups of people The risk of drowning is strongly linked with
depending on their daily activities and the exposure to water and swimming ability. Recent
environment they live in. research has shown that people who are unable
In spite of these variations, the core ways of to swim are at much higher risk of drowning.
preventing drowning – being aware of the Groups of people at high risk of drowning
dangers and being able to swim – are key usually consist of people who are regularly
factors in breaking the drowning chain. exposed to water and lack the ability to swim,
When running a programme it is important or are travellers who use poorly maintained boats.
to ensure that the correct audience is targeted. The people within these groups will vary
This will help to ensure your programme prevents depending on local environmental and social
the maximum number of drowning incidents factors. For example, in some communities it may
at the lowest cost. be mainly women who take a daily ferry to trade
at the local market, while in other communities
When designing a programme, it is important
it may be men who use boats to get to work.
for an organisation to identify who they are
going to target and how. This will largely To understand who should be targeted, it is
be dependent on the resources available, vital to engage with local community leaders
the time-frame, and whether drowning and community members to identify regular
incidents are known to occur within a specific water users. Generally, they can be placed into
group of people or the wider community. five broad categories:
The Aquatic Survival programme is split into 1. children aged under 5 years old
two parts: Water safety education and 2. children aged 5–14 years old
self-survival and rescue. This allows
3. adolescent and adult women
organisations to select and adapt sections of
the programme to suit their environment and 4. fishermen
resources.
5. travellers.
8