Educational Program and Get Informed About in Greece and Cyprus, Approved by Safety in the Sea and in the Ministry of Education
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SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS Safe Water Sports is a non-profit organization founded in June 2015 with the interest of providing information and raising awareness to the general public on safety matters related to recreational water activities and water sports with great emphasis on safety standards and the prevention of drownings and sea-based accidents. Its primary scope is the information and sensitization of citizens, mostly children, on all matters relating to both water and sea activities (sports and recreation), emphasizing on safety and accident-prevention issues and the implementation of actions in collaboration with the Private and Public sector aiming at the reinforcement of safety issue at the aquatic environment. Greece is ranked 11th globally in the list of countries with the longest coastline (13,676 kilometers). Each year 50,000 European citizens are injured while doing water sports, whereas in our country, 300 deaths occur each year in the sea. Drowning is considered as the second leading cause of accidental death for children 1-14 years of age. Education of students Safe Water Sports app at schools Read about Safe Water Sports Safe Water Sports created an app for mobiles and tablets interdisciplinary educational program and get informed about in Greece and Cyprus, approved by safety in the sea and in the Ministry of Education. water sports. Page 8-9 Page 4-5 2 SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS 3 COAST GUARD- OBSERVATORY OF ACCIDENTS PORT AUTHORITIES Safe Water Sports has provided the Port Deaths at sea based on gender 2017-2019 Total Deaths 2017-2019 Authorities of Greece 265 400 375 and Cyprus, at extends beyond Based on the Memorandum 255 350 350 no cost, with an Greek borders. of Cooperation with the 307 221 300 Integrated Pan- Furthermore, Ministry of Maritime and Island 265 255 Hellenic Control 250 221 the Policy, the Organization is 72% & Inspection 200 Information involved on issues regarding 110 Information 150 System the reform and modernization 95 110 28% 86 86 95 System regarding includes the of legislation. In 2018, the 100 a broad range of Observatory Ministry of Maritime and Island 50 water activities. of Accidents Policy, taking into consideration 2017 2018 2019 Through this system, that presents in the Organization’s proposals in 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL MEN WOMEN which operates across all details the number cooperation with the relevant Port Authorities of the country 706 of drownings and sea-based sectoral authorities, voted the Deaths at sea Reasons and the Central Command Presidential Decree 31/2018 3% 3% accidents since 2017. The based on age 6% 13% of deaths (Ministry - Port Authority’s Organization has undertaken on lifeguards, the placement 2017-2019 at sea Headquarters), it is possible the study of the given date in of lifeguards on beaches and 2017-2019 for the Authorities to manage order to establish a national Regulation No. 20 regarding 0-6: 3 7-12: 3 online the following activities: prevention policy. water sports. 19% Drownings • All licenses granted to water 13-17: 6 18-59: 198 236 sports centers in Greece and Pathological reasons Cyprus 60-69: 217 70+: 592 75 The Organization cooperates closely with the state (such as the 21% 58% • The mandatory availability Ministry of Maritime and Island Policy, Education, Health, Sports Fatal Unknown: 13 15 of lifeguards at beaches by etc.) regarding the activities and initiatives that will reinforce Unknown municipalities safety issue in the aquatic environment. The basic topics of coope- • The sea or shore - side ration are the following: Deaths in controls and inspections by the water sports Coast Guard - Expansion and intensification of the use of Information System 2017-2019 Injuries at sea 186 81 that Safe Water Sports has donated to the Coast Guard • Any violations and fines 2017 2017-2019 imposed - Interface with data sources and information managed by other 6 • The efficiency of the Port Ministries Men Women Authorities and the potential -Expansion of the educational program regarding water safety 2018 control deficiencies all over the across all schools of the country 4 country -Reform and modernization of existing legislation through coope- 2019 2017 99 ration with associated Ministries All these activities can be 4 2018 106 carried out in a direct (real- 2019 62 time) and transparent way, Beach Drownings in the without the need of any kind 683 of communication between presence/absence of a lifeguard the Central Command and the 2017-2019 Deaths at sea based on Ethnicity regional Port Authorities. 2017-2019 Greece On February 2018, Safe 9% beaches without Water Sports signed a a lifeguard Germany cooperation agreement with Kingdom United the Cyprus Port Police to Russia beaches with France expand its actions. In this a lifeguard Albania Serbia Czech Republic Bulgaria 26% (within working hours) Poland Italy way, safety matter regarding Austria Romania Sweden Switzerland the Organization’s initiatives 65% beaches with a lifeguard 9 10 10 11 11 14 15 15 16 16 21 22 29 67 (outside working hours) 4SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS 5 Safe Water Sports app INTERNATIONAL Safe Water Sports has centers with full contact COLLABORATIONS developed an electronic details. platform for public The Port Authorities In 2018, Safe Water Sports awareness which is throughout the country signed a Memorandum of available online via with their contact details. Understanding with the Port our website https:// The marines and in Police of Cyprus in order to safewatersports.gr/ general all the mooring cooperate on issues related to but mainly via mobile places and the services safety in the sea. Hence, Safe phone applications provided there. Water Sports has donated the (apps) for free. Through The boat rental center Information system to the Port this platform, which for any type of recreation Police of Cyprus. is available in Greek, The applicable safety At the same time, in English and French, regulations (legislation) collaboration with the Cyprus citizens can easily find for water sports and information about Greece water activities Tourism Organization, the Safe and Cyprus such as: The weather at the Water Sports app has been STRICTLY ALL the water sports sites enriched with information on legitimate water sports Any other information water sports centers of the rental centers (water ski, that is directly or island, beaches, marinas etc. scuba diving, tubes, kite indirectly connected with for all residents and foreign surf, etc.) that operate in sea and water activities. visitors who visit Cyprus. Greece . In collaboration with The 3.000+ accessible ''Μοreover through the the French Embassy and for swimming beaches use of Safe Water Sports French Institute, Safe Water which the Organization app people can'': Sports has developed joint has mapped in Report any kind of initiatives with the scope to cooperation with the Port misconduct or illegal inform French citizens of Authorities by recording activity at sea which Greece or tourists who visit all safety features for puts public safety in Greece but also to create a each beach (i.e. if there is danger, as well as use communication means with a lifeguard, deep/shallow the Organization’s water, the type of the e-platform to notify organizations that operate beach - e.g. sandy, rocky the Port Authorities in in France. The latest version etc., -the length of the order to intervene when of Safe Water Sports app beach, if it is organized necessary is in French language, with sun beds and beach Rate and Comment a whose translation has been umbrellas, if it provides water sports - recreation completed by the French access to PWD, public rental center and, by Institute. health services, parking, doing so, to reward the Safe Water Sports app is etc.) and by providing an best agencies and help officially proposed by the indicative photo pointing the averagely performing websites of the Ministry of out their map location agencies to improve and Foreigners of the French and as well as other useful offer better and safer British Embassy accordingly. information. services to the public. All hospitals and health The latest version of Safe Water Sports app includes part of the educational material that has been developed by Stavros Niarchos Foundation donation. The application includes a section (in Greek and English) entitled “LEARN / PLAY” that informs children Safe Water Sports mobile app is available online for free on regarding the safety rules at the beach, in the sea and in water Apple Store and Google Market. To download the mobile sports, but also a number of quizzes. For the period of June 1, 2019 application use the following links: to September 30, 2019, the total number of users was 68,000 and iPhone / iPad: http://apple.co/21rYZyx the number of connection sessions was 100,000. Android: http://bit.ly/1UFT4kI 6 SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS 7 ACTIONS FOR CITIZENS’ AWARENESS INSPIRATIONAL VIDEOS OF Coast, Saronida, Mavro Litari, Alykes OLYMPIC WINNER ATHLETES Anavyssos and Palea Fokea) The Organization has created a - 16 beaches in Mykonos Municipal- Through awareness series of educational inspirational ity (P. Gialos, Panormos, Elia, Super campaigns, in 2019 Safe videos with the support of Neraida paradise, Paradise, Paraga, Ornos, Water Sports managed to NIKOS KAKLAMANAKIS Gold Olympic Winner Windsurfing Floating Museum by Latsis Foun- Kalafatis, Agia Anna, Psarrou, Agi- inform: dation and the donation of Stavros os Ioannis, Agrari, Ftelia, Lia, Agios Niarchos Foundation in which top Sostis, Kalo Livadi) and Greek Olympic Champions athletes - 444 beaches in the prefecture of participate. Central Greece 70.000 The videos are part of the educa- awareness posters regarding Safe gave the opportunity to the Safe Water tional program of Safe Water Sports, AWARENESS LEAFLETS Water Sports app at the Athens Organization to inform tourists, Sports App approved by the Ministry of Educa- Aegean Airlines Eleftherios Venizelos International prior to their departure, about downloads SPYROS GIANNIOTIS tion.