Water Skills Academy Suffolk (3)

Who is it for? This course is suitable for all levels of sea swimmer. It is focused on how you can help yourself or a fellow swimmer should you or they get into difficulty during a swim in open water in any open water location. Prerequisites: Be 16 years old or over at the time of workshop Be competent and confident in open water Be able to submerge under the water confidently Before the course, candidates must be able to swim at least 400 metres in a pool/ open water swimming continuously on their front Able to submerge under the water confidently Equipment Mask & gloves Wetsuit, boots, towel, swimsuit. Pen & paper Foul weather gear for on and off the water Warm clothing Packed lunch Snacks & flask with hot drink Wetsuit (tow float if you have one) Goggles Content: Hazard identification/Location Risk Assessment (linked to online Safer Swimming module with H2O Training & Immerse Hebrides) Safety Equipment for Leaders/Swimmers Panicking swimmer – Communication/signals, approach, stand-off position; In water releases – front & back; Towing – contact and non-contact (use of tow float/rescue tube), management of a conscious and unconscious casualty in water and recovery from water; Dealing with major incidents – swept out to sea, drowning, injury or illness Basic life support – CPR and use of an AED Following training the participants would then be given a range of open water swimming scenarios to deal with both individually and as part of a group.