in La Baule, courses to learn how to react in the event of a fall in a swimming pool

Knowing how to react quickly: underwater, Emilien must first take off his shoes, then his pants. The children are dressed, as they must simulate an accidental fall into a swimming pool. They then go through swimming, ease and endurance exercises. They must last between 4 and 5 minutes of effort, the minimum when you have to wait for help. “Just the fact of falling into the water, if they lose their bearings for even a second, it can turn into a disaster. There, they are able to regain their bearings, without glasses, and to situate in relation to the pelvis”explains Elodie Lagrange, referent lifeguard “Knowing how to swim in a natural environment”.

A swimming pool in La Baule-Escoublac (Loire-Atlantique) offers prevention courses during the summer. 26% of drownings occur in swimming pools. Something to learn the right reflexes, and to reassure the children. Today, the three trainees validated the test. “I will always be very present”, notes, however, the grandmother of Emilien, Sylvie Brunet. In 2021, nearly 1,500 drownings occurred in France, including nearly 400 fatalities. The figure is falling, thanks in particular to prevention.