The free activity, open to people of all ages, aims to promote safer enjoyment of the water
The ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ drowning prevention campaign, organised by Fundación MAPFRE in collaboration with the Emergency Medicine and Emergencies Lifeguarding Group of the Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine and Emergencies (SEMES), arrived today at Benidorm’s Levante Beach. The campaign is “an awareness and training initiative aimed at preventing drownings and improving the public’s response to these emergencies,” said Councillor for Beaches Mónica Gómez, who visited the tents set up on the sand at midday.
The campaign aims to provide the public with essential knowledge on prevention, safe rescue and first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), through free, accessible practical activities for people of all ages. Today and tomorrow, the campaign will be at Levante Beach from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., while on Sunday 23 it will move to Poniente Beach from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The campaign takes place on a beachfront, with three themed tents offering free activities for all. In the ‘Ready’ section, participants learn how to check sea conditions before entering the water, follow flag warnings and lifeguards’ instructions, choose supervised bathing areas, avoid swimming alone and engaging in risky behaviour, actively supervise children, and avoid overestimating their own abilities. The second section, ‘Set’, explains that helping someone does not always mean entering the water. Finally, the ‘Go’ section highlights the importance of acting quickly, contacting the emergency services as soon as possible and performing CPR when necessary.
Mónica Gómez said that drownings “are a significant public health issue and, contrary to what is commonly perceived, can happen quickly, silently and be difficult to identify, even within a matter of seconds. That is why campaigns like this help ensure that beachgoers and beach users have a clearer understanding of how to respond in the event of a possible drowning.”
