The father of a teenager who drowned in South Yorkshire says more people could die if there isn't enough rescue equipment near open water.
Here we go again. Every year when it gets a bit warm, regular as clockwork...
"He was happy. He was going in the right direction," says his dad Simon.
Really? Was he?
When his school broke up for May half-term, Sam went swimming with friends at a local reservoir in Rotherham.
"He had no fear. He didn't see the danger of jumping in, despite not being able to swim," Simon adds.
*sighs* It's often a feature of these cases, though.
Simon is angry that his son couldn't be saved.
Not with his son. Or the friends who decided to ignore the warnings and take him swimming. Gosh, no!
There must be no personal responsibility, ever! It's the Modern Way.
He says there was a flotation ring at the reservoir but it was hidden underneath overgrown trees, so Sam's friends didn't see it.
Simon is fundraising for more life-saving equipment to be available near open water: "I want to get this campaign up and going so that money is not an excuse for not having this equipment around the water."
I suppose at least he isn't demanding someone else finance it.
There is the added problem that reservoirs and lakes in the UK are very cold. OK, this lad couldn't swim, which makes him simply a fuckwit jumping in in the first place, but even if he'd been a strong swimmer that might not have saved him.
ReplyDelete"Simon is angry that his son couldn't be saved.
ReplyDelete"Not with his son. Or the friends who decided to ignore the warnings and take him swimming. Gosh, no! "
Nor with the father who neglected to teach his child to swim.
More lifesaving equipment - all ready for vandalisation
ReplyDeleteWhy don't these parents teach their kids to swim? I loved teaching my three and they were all very young when they learnt. It's quality time.
ReplyDeleteCan't see why a basic skill like that should be a school's responsibility.
Jaded
A non swimmer jumped into a reservoir and drowned. This is someone else's fault how? It's sort of like me jumping off a tall building knowing that I can't fly.
ReplyDeleteWell it's a well known fact that today anything and everything is somebody else's fault. I'm surprised some legally aided lawyer hasn't jumped on the band wagon already. A bit busy representing the hundreds of benefit seekers swarming across the channel every day probably.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't see the danger, despite not being able to swim. The term 'hard of thinking' springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteDarwin strikes again - on the upside, at least it's stopped him breeding more of the same.
"There is the added problem that reservoirs and lakes in the UK are very cold. "
ReplyDeleteYes, people continually misjudge that, especially on hot days.
"Nor with the father who neglected to teach his child to swim."
Presumably it's no longer taught in schools? I fondly remember the eagerness to collect all the different colours of ribbons awarded in swimming lessons at our (sadlt now demolished) local pool...
"More lifesaving equipment - all ready for vandalisation"
Yes, it's not as simple as providing it and saying 'job done'.
"Can't see why a basic skill like that should be a school's responsibility."
See also: reading, writing and basic arithmetic.
" It's sort of like me jumping off a tall building knowing that I can't fly."
ReplyDeleteSpot on!
"Well it's a well known fact that today anything and everything is somebody else's fault. I'm surprised some legally aided lawyer hasn't jumped on the band wagon already."
Give them time...
"Darwin strikes again - on the upside, at least it's stopped him breeding more of the same."
As far as we know...