Words about Words - May 2021
This newsletter is usually a place where I share things that I've found interesting, entertaining or useful over the past month, in the hope that you, dear reader, may also find them interesting, entertaining or useful. I imagine they'll be most resonant with people who also write or work for charities, but it's by no means a readership criteria. I also include a bit of my own work, because if I don't take the opportunity to promote myself, I'm not sure anyone else will.
A change from the norm
This month, I'm taking a different approach, and sharing information that might just help you save a life.
The reason for this departure from the norm is that I helped rescue a woman who was drowning earlier this month. It wasn't just me, but Derek (my mother-in-law's partner) and two strangers, who responded to a desperate situation and ended up saving a life.
I've spent a lot of time thinking about this since, as it's the kind of unexpected, dramatic event that can put your head in a spin, even if the outcome is a positive one.
Reflecting on what happened
One of the thoughts I keep returning to is the idea that a different combination of people might have resulted in one or more people (as rescuers often get into difficulties themselves) drowning. Of course, there's the possibility that others may have responded in an even better way, but in the event, this woman survived because there were a) people who were willing to effect a rescue, and b) those people knew how to do it.
Which brings me to the point of this life-saving themed, 'special edition' of Words about Words…
You never know when you might need to know how to save a life.
Expect the unexpected
Fortunately, I grew up spending a lot of time in or on the sea and have an understanding of how the open water works and the risks it presents. I also spent a lot of my childhood having swimming lessons, including a 'rookie lifeguard' course that taught me skills I ended up having to use unexpectedly twenty years later.
You might not think you'll ever need to know how to rescue someone from drowning. I didn't. After all, the last thing we expected when we decided to go out for burritos was that we'd end up pulling a woman out of the sea.
Whether you're a surfer who spends so much time in the sea you're practically a seal, a parent who heads to the beach with their kids once a year, or a dog walker who strolls along the towpath, the unexpected can happen to you.
Don’t wait until it happens to find out what to do
I am most definitely not an expert, so I’m not going to tell you what to need to know. Instead, allow me to point you in the direction of those who can. Please, please take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the resources below.
Safety along canals and inland waterways
The Canal and River Trust have a useful website for anyone who spends time on or next to inland waterways, including:
Water safety FAQs
Water safety for kids
Water safety for anglers
Water safety for boaters
Safety on the towpath.
Visit their website at this link: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/safety-on-our-waterways
Safety at the beach or on the sea
The RNLI are the people to go to for safety at or on the open sea. Their website contains information on:
Common risk factors to be familiar with
Safety advice for different activities
Beach safety
Multi-lingual resources
Swim safe courses for children
Visit their website at this link: https://rnli.org/safety
How to help someone at risk of hypothermia
If someone has been in the water, they are at a greater risk of getting hypothermia. The NHS has advice on what to do.
Visit their website at this link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypothermia/
How to perform CPR
If you’ve helped get someone out of the water and they’re not breathing, you’ll need to know how to perform CPR. The NHS has all the information you need to know.
Visit their website at this link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/first-aid/cpr/
Other environments
Please note, these are water-themed as this is the environment I'm most familiar with. I'll admit that I only have a very basic understanding of what to do in different environments, such as on snow and ice, or in the mountains or deep forest - so I don't feel comfortable recommending resources. If anyone is able to point me towards some, I'd appreciate it.
In an ideal world, we'd all receive some kind of training (perhaps it should be added to the school curriculum) and while it would be wonderful if everyone who read this signed up to a course and became an expert, I realise that's impractical. However, even a little bit of basic information can be the difference between a happy rescue or a tragic ending.
Fight your instinct, not the water
At the very least, remember the following (from the RNLI):
If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, float to increase your chances of survival.
If you see someone else in trouble in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
Until next month
Normal Words about Words service will resume next month. It'll arrive in subscribers' inboxes on the last Thursday of June, and be published on my website the following day.
Stay safe everyone, and enjoy yourselves.
Thanks for reading.