Respect the Water

On average 79 people lose their life in a drowning incident in Scotland every year and 54% of these deaths happen within coastal areas. Water Safety Scotland is committed to reducing this number and has pledged to support organisations which seek to raise awareness of the danger of drowning by sharing their campaigns.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, and Respect the Water is a vital part of the RNLI's work to halve coastal drownings by 2024. We believe everyone can play a role in helping to prevent drowning. So, the Respect the Water campaign asks you to remember, and share, two simple skills that could help save lives:

1. If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, float first, 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 Coastguard.

The Respect the Water campaign is live from 22 May to 1 September.

To find out more, head to www.respectthewater.com.