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Water warning
Rivers, ponds, drains and dykes may look like ideal places to swim on a hot day – but there are serious dangers.
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Serious dangers: areas of open water in Hull can be hazardous for swimmers
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That's the message from Humberside fire fighter Steve Fuller, who is also the region's top freestyle diver.
He has swam to depths of up to 40 metres without breathing apparatus and can hold his breath underwater for six minutes.
Steve Fuller (41) practices a sport known as freediving, which requires great fitness and mind-over-body control.
It has taken him to the bottom of some of most beautiful oceans in the world, including the Mediterranean and the Pacific.
He also practices spearfishing, which is the art of diving to the seabed on a single breath and lying in wait ready to ambush fish.
In his other life, Steve (pictured opposite) is a station manager with Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.
And for the last year he has been working as part of Hull Citysafe, a multi-agency team, which includes police and council officers, working together to make Hull a safer place.
Now his work and leisure lives are crossing over briefly - because this month he is promoting Citysafe's message about being safe around open water.
"I've been diving since I was 12, so from a very early age I was introduced to water safety," says Steve.
"Drowning is the third highest cause of death of people under 16 in Britain – so it's crucial that people understand just how dangerous it can be to swim in open water if safety precautions are not in place."
Stark warning
The lakes and ponds in Hull's parks, the Barmston and Holderness Drains, and the water around the marina and Princes Quay, are just some of the places where people have been known to swim, especially in the summer time.
"But these places can be potential death spots for swimmers, particularly where there are no safety measures in place," says Steve.
"In most cases there are no life jackets, and there's no-one on standby to come to the rescue.
"That's completely different to controlled diving and other water activities such as canoeing and sailing – because safety and training is paramount with those sports." The dangers of swimming in open water without safety measures include:
- Hidden rubbish such as shopping trolleys or fallen branches in which you could get trapped, or broken glass or sharp metal on which you could get cut
- The water may be polluted and may make you ill.
For example you could catch Weil's disease if you have open cuts and blisters.
The disease, which leads to death in 10 per cent of all cases, comes from rat urine.
- It's difficult to estimate depth therefore you could break your neck and become paralysed if you dive in and the water's too shallow.
Likewise, if the water is too deep there could be currents which could drag you under.
- You may get stuck in mud and it may be difficult to get out due to steep, slimy banks
- Even though it's a warm day, the water may be very cold.
"You may swim well in a warm indoor pool, but that does not mean that you will be able to swim in cold water," says Steve.
"In particular, it's children and young people who don't see the hazards - and they're the ones who are most ready to jump in.
"It's up to parents to make sure their kids know the dangers – and also to be aware of where their kids are and what they're doing, especially on weekends and in school holidays.
"You also get some adults acting irresponsibly, particularly after a few beers – but drinking seriously affects your ability in the water."
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Water safety message: Steve Fuller |
Don't try this at home
Steve was one of two safety divers who were on standby when a new world record for freediving was set in Cyprus in 2004.
The record-breaking diver was the venezuelan Carlos Costa who swam to a depth of 102 metres on a single breath (that's more than three times the length of the Wilberforce column outside Wilberforce College).
"We had to be there to swim with him as he made the last part of his return to the surface to make sure he didn't black out," says Steve.
"This is a sport where people push themselves to the limits and for that reason safety measures are paramount." Steve, who is a member of the British Freediving Association, regularly freedives in Cornwall, and goes swimming in indoor pools four times a week.
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