Three events took place across North Wales this week to mark National Drowning Prevention Day.

The aim of the events was to promote the water safety message, ‘Float to Live’ to help raise awareness of how people can help themselves in the event that they find themselves struggling in the water, and to work with other partners to educate about the dangers of open water, ensuring people are correctly equipped to enjoy the water safely.

The events took place simultaneously on the 25^th of July, with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service hosting events at Llyn Tegid in Bala and Llyn Padarn in Llanberis, while North Wales Police hosted an event at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre in Wrexham.

Each displayed a crewed Water Rescue boat and ran demonstrations for how to use a throw line and perform CPR. They also showcased some of the life-saving equipment and rescue capabilities used in drowning incidents.

Paul Kay, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s Head of Fire Safety, said: “I am delighted that North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was able to promote water safety through these two events we organised in Bala and Llanberis. I would like to thank our Watch Managers for their hard work arranging these important events to help raise awareness of vital drowning prevention techniques that could be vital to help save someone’s life in an emergency

“I would also like to thank North Wales Police for inviting us to be part of their water safety event in Wrexham, allowing us to help spread the ‘Float to Live’ water safety message more widely.

“Globally, an estimated 236,000 lives are lost to drowning every year, and in Wales there were 253 water-related deaths in the last five years. I hope that those who joined us at these events have left having learnt some vital life-saving advice.

“Please remember that if you ever find yourself struggling in the water unexpectedly, your instincts will tell you to swim hard. But cold water shock can make you gasp uncontrollably which can cause you to breathe in water and drown. Instead, remember ‘Float to Live’.

“The best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged. Try to relax and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands to help you stay afloat if you need to. Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability – and it's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently. Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.”