Seaside Holidays: Enjoying The Beach Safely

Are you spending your holidays by the sea? Be careful! Synonymous with relaxation and swimming, beaches are also places of many dangers. We will remind you of some basic safety rules to enjoy the beach safely.

What are the dangers of the sun?

Beach safety starts on the sand: to avoid sunstroke and sunburn, the only rule is protection.

For children, a hat, t-shirt, sunglasses, and high SPF sunscreen are essential.

For the rest of the family too, don't forget either the parasol or the sunscreen, which should be reapplied every two hours for effective protection.

To avoid dehydration, remember to drink and cool off regularly.

Note: even with all the previously mentioned precautions, it is recommended to avoid the beach between 11 AM and 4 PM, which are the hottest hours of the day.

What are the dangers of swimming?

The pleasure of splashing around should not make us forget the various dangers of swimming for both young and old, particularly the risks of hydrocution and drowning.

Each year, the two groups most affected by Drowning in the sea, rivers, or pools are adults over 45 years old and children under 6 years old.

To avoid accidents, never leave a child under 10 years old alone in the water and stay close to the younger ones, even if they are just splashing around in very shallow water.
Note: Lack of supervision is the primary cause of drowning among children under 13 years old, ahead of not knowing how to swim and accidental falls.

The causes of Drowning among adults are mainly currents, physical exhaustion, or a health problem (fainting, hydrocution, epilepsy).
To prevent such accidents, it is important to follow various safety instructions at the beach. We will remind you of them in the following paragraph.

What are the safety guidelines at the beach?

Safety instructions at the beach concern both adults and children.

The best accident prevention is to be vigilant:
• monitor children as soon as they are near the water.
• equip them with armbands, a swimsuit with floaters, or a suitable buoy bearing the CE mark (beware of novelty items and floating toys).

For all swimmers regardless of age, it is also important to:
• respect the color of the flags: no swimming when the red flag is up!
• do not drink alcohol or eat heavy meals before swimming.
• enter the water gradually to avoid thermal shock and hydrocution.
• do not swim alone or inform your relatives.
• preferably choose supervised swimming areas.
• do not overestimate your strength.
• swim parallel to the beach and not towards the open sea, especially beyond the 300-meter zone reserved for boats and beach equipment.

Note: in case of trouble, do not fight against the current and waves to avoid exhausting yourself; instead, lie on your back and float as much as possible.

In case of drowning, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiac massage are actions that can save lives, hence the importance of being trained in first aid.

Do not forget to call emergency services by dialing 18 for firefighters, 15 for medical emergencies, or 112, which is the emergency number valid throughout the European Union.

For more information, please visit the website of the National Federation of Beaches of France (link below).