REPORTAGE
The summer season is just beginning and the number of drownings is already worrying. At the beach or in swimming pools with private individuals, firefighters intervene almost daily. In the Var, 16 deaths by drowning have been counted since the beginning of May. Last year, there were 17 deaths over the May-June period. Among the victims, 60% are over 65 and 30% are under six. With the deconfinement and the desire for freedom, the bathers relax and the accident happens very quickly.
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Be careful not to overestimate your physical condition
Regulars of the nautical base of Fréjus admit it with a smile: you have to prepare to jump into the water! With a thermometer that briskly exceeds 30 degrees, an azure sea, swimmers are quick to relax and, after three months of confinement due to the epidemic of coronavirus, the risk of failure of the muscles, especially the heart , is not to be underestimated.
"Everyone today needs to reconnect with outdoor and sporting activities, but you must be careful not to overestimate your physical condition. It is also important to warn those around you when you leave home far away and resume your sport in a progressive way ", advises captain Franck Cuomo of the Var firefighters.
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Lots of accidents in private pools
In most cases, drowning is the result of discomfort. And contrary to what one might think, drownings do not only take place at sea. Many accidents also take place in private swimming pools. "You must not take your eyes off the children, do not leave them alone and put in place safety devices," said Captain Franck Cuomo.
With the heat that settles, we must not neglect the risk of hydrocution and enter the water gently.