Carrickfin swimmer Henry O’ Donnell has turned blue this week to raise awareness of World Drowning Prevention Day.
Henry revealed his eye-catching new look to challenge other people to think about water safety.
His message to the public is to “do one positive thing” to save lives on World Drowning Prevention Day.
Henry O’Donnell (Anrí O Domhnaill), Water Safety Ireland Ambassador
Henry became the first man in history to finswim around Ireland in May after completing a 1,569km challenge in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and Water Safety Ireland. His challenge took 597 days, with Covid putting a pause on the journey last year. He raised over €46,000.
Henry’s message today is: “Children under the age of five are at highest risk. Drownings occur during routine activities, such as bathing, collecting water for domestic use, travelling over water on boats or ferries, and fishing. The impacts of seasonal or extreme weather events are also a frequent cause of drowning.
“Most of these deaths are preventable with common sense low cost solutions, such as: installing barriers controlling access to water, providing safe places away from water such as crèches for pre-school children with capable childcare, teaching swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills, training bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation, setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping and ferry regulations, adopting a water safety culture, improving flood risk management and other.
“This year, I Henry O’Donnell, Ambassador, Water Safety Ireland, invite you to “do one positive thing” to save lives on World Drowning Prevention Day.
“For social media I recommend that the hashtag #DrowningPrevention be used, including for World Drowning Prevention Day #DrowningPreventionDay.”
