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, 344 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 Safe Water Sports created an Sports app for mobiles interdisciplinary educational and tablets and get program in Greece and Cyprus, informed about safety approved by the Ministry of in the sea and in water Education. sports. Pages 12-15 Pages 6-7 2 SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS COAST GUARD- PORT AUTHORITIES Safe Water Sports has provided the Port Authorities of Greece and Cyprus, at no cost, with an Integrated Pan-Hellenic Control & Inspection Information System regarding a broad range of water activities. Through this system, which oper- ates across all Port Authorities of the country and the Central Com- mand (Ministry - Port Authority’s Headquarters), it is possible for the Authorities to manage online the following activities: • All licenses granted to water sports centers in Greece and Cyprus agreement with the Cyprus Port ization of legislation. In 2018, the • The mandatory availability of Police to expand its actions. In this Ministry of Maritime and Island Pol- lifeguards at beaches by munic- way, safety matter regarding the icy, taking into consideration the ipalities Organization’s initiatives extends Organization’s proposals in coop- • The sea or shore - side controls beyond Greek borders. eration with the relevant sectoral and inspections by the Coast Furthermore, the Information authorities, voted the Presidential Guard System includes the Observato- Decree 31/2018 on lifeguards, the • Any violations and fines imposed ry of Accidents that presents in placement of lifeguards on beach- • The efficiency of the Port Author- details the number of drownings es and Regulation No. 20 regard- ities and the potential control defi- and sea-based accidents since ing water sports. ciencies all over the country 2017. The Organization has under- Since 2018, the Ministry of All these activities can be car- taken the study of the given date Maritime and Island Policy, ried out in a direct (real-time) and in order to establish a national pre- taking into consideration the transparent way, without the need vention policy. Organization’s proposals in of any kind of communication Based on the Memorandum of cooperation with the relevant between the Central Command Cooperation with the Ministry of sectoral authorities, proceeded and the regional Port Authorities. Maritime and Island Policy, the with the reform of the General On February 2018, Safe Water Organization is involved on issues Regulation No. 20 regarding water Sports signed a cooperation regarding the reform and modern- sports. In addition, the legislative initiative regarding lifeguard coverage at beaches and lifeguarding schools was completed (PD 71/2020). The new PD includes significant Strict fines on institutions that improvements Improvement do not place in the field of of lifeguard's reinforcing lifeguards on education lifeguard coverage beaches as in our country required such as: SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS 3 DIGITAL CONTROLS FOR SUPERVISION OF WATER SPORTS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY THE PORT AUTHORITIES Safe Water Sports cooperates with the Port Authorities in order to develop joint initiatives to reinforce safety at sea and reduce drownings. The Organization developed and provided a unique software that facilitates the monitoring regarding the digital performance of inspections at lifeguards’ positions at beaches, professionals, water sports centers, etc. Through this upgrade, the controls are performed via a tablet and the officers of the Coast Guard have online access to the information they may need, while any violations will be recorded in real time. The supply of the first required mobile devices was made with the support of the Ministry of Digital Governance. With this upgrade, the bureaucracy is abolished, the controls become more targeted, simpler, faster and more efficient. The vision of the Ministry and Safe Water Sports is to create the best possible practices, capable of becoming a pilot for Europe and around the world in order to protect for human’s life at sea. The upgrade and enrichment of the Information System of the Port Police, that has been developed and donated by Safe Water Sports, has been sponsored by Alpha Bank. LAUNCH OF AN OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF PRECAUTIONARY ACTIVITIES The office of "Digital & Ιsiland Policy, was by Safe Water Sports) as Management of created to support well as the awareness actions Maritime Activities the increased implemented by the Port and Safety at Sea", operational Authorities throughout which is located requirements and the country (such as at at the Port Police support of the schools, municipalities, etc.) Directorate of the Port Information in cooperation with the Ministry of Shipping Authority (provided Organization. Change of the Change of the Increase of examination conditions at the lifeguard’s method in order beaches that coverage time by 1 to increase require the hour (10:00-17:00) the number of existence of and possibility of lifeguards that a lifeguard in local committees graduate every order to increase for further increase year lifeguard coverage 4 SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS OBSERVATORY OF ACCIDENTS Deaths at sea based on gender 2017-2019 Total Deaths 2017-2019 265 400 375 255 350 350 307 221 300 265 255 250 221 72% 110 200 150 95 110 28% 86 86 95 100 50 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL MEN WOMEN Deaths at sea 3% 3% 706 based on age 6% 13% Reasons 2017-2019 of deaths at sea 7-12: 3 0-6: 3 19% 2017-2019 13-17: 6 18-59: 198 Drownings 60-69: 217 70+: 592 236 21% 58% Pathological reasons 75 Unknown: 13 Fatal accidents 15 Unknown Deaths in water sports Injuries at sea 186 81 2017-2019 2017-2019 2017 Men Women 6 2018 2017 99 4 2018 2019 106 2019 62 4 Beach Drownings in the Deaths at sea based on Ethnicity 683 presence/absence of a lifeguard 2017-2019 2017-2019 Greece 9% beaches without a lifeguard Germany United Kingdom United Russia beaches with France Albania a lifeguard Serbia Czech Republic Bulgaria 26% (within working hours) Poland Italy Austria Romania Sweden 65% Switzerland beaches with a lifeguard 9 10 10 11 11 14 15 15 16 16 21 22 29 67 (outside working hours) SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS 5 TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS 2017-2019 DEATHS IN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES 2017-2019 70 10 60 58 50 8 62% 7 40 37 6 30 20 15 4 10 2 0 38% 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 REASONS OF DEATHS ¹NCIDENTS REPORT- 2017-2019 1% INLAND WATER 13% 20% DEATHS IN RECREATIONAL 54% ACTIVITIES BASED 20% 46% ON AGE 2017-2019 14% 14% Fatal accident in a Drowning while doing 8% non-recreational a recreational activity/sport 5% 5% activity/sport Suicide Drowning in a non-recreational Drowning while swimming activity/sport 0-6 7-12 13-17 18-59 60-69 70+ CAUSE OF DEATH IN DEATHS IN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES 2017-2019 ACCORDING TO LOCATION 2017-2019 Swimming pool River Lake Private of a hotel swimming pool Other 38% 18% 18% 13% 11% 2% 19% location 19% 43%46% Unknown Pathological Improper supervision 8% causes of a minor 8% Unguarded Absence of Adverse weather water a lifeguard conditions 3% Sports swimming pool DEATHS IN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BASED ON NATIONALITY 2017-2019 GREECE FRANCE ALBANIA IRELAND ROMANIA SYRIA POLONAD PALESTINE GERMANY SINGAPORE TAIPEI FINLAND ISRAEL CHINA UN. KINGDOM 11 7 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 SAFETY IN THE SEA AND IN WATER SPORTS Safe Water Sports INTERNATIONAL mobile app COLLABORATIONS Safe Water Sports has developed an electronic Since 2018, Safe Water Sports has signed a platform for public awareness which is available Memorandum of Understanding with the Port online via our website https:// safewatersports. Police of Cyprus in order to cooperate on gr/ but mainly via mobile phone applications issues related to safety in the sea. Based on this (apps) for free. Through this platform, which is available in Greek, English and French, citizens cooperation, Safe Water Sports has donated can easily find information about Greece and the Information system to the Port Police of Cyprus such as: Cyprus. STRICTLY ALL the legitimate water sports At the same time, in collaboration with the rental centers (water ski, scuba diving, tubes, Cyprus Tourism Organization, the Safe Water kite surf, etc.) that operate in Greece . Sports app has been enriched with information on water sports centers of the island, beaches, The 3.000+ accessible for swimming marinas etc. for all residents and foreign visitors beaches which the Organization has mapped who visit Cyprus. in cooperation with the Port Authorities by recording all safety features for each beach In collaboration with the French Embassy and (i.e.