– This is much more difficult than in the pool. It’s very cold, but a little fun too. The feet stiffen almost completely, says fourth-grader Lykke to news. Almost 1000 primary school students in Namsos municipality learn both lifesaving and swimming outside this spring and summer. But on a national basis, less than 10 percent of school children get to learn the same thing, according to figures obtained by news last year. – It is too bad, says the Rescue Society’s regional leader in the north, Katrine Lind-Olsen. Many of the students have never swum in such cold water before, and it will be a completely different experience than swimming in a pool. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news In a jumbo seat in the Nordics – The training is certainly not good enough. Only 41 percent of Norwegian ten-year-olds can swim, and we are in the jumbo position in the Nordic countries. We must at least get water filled in all the pools that are empty, Lind-Olsen believes. In Namsos, teacher Harriet Engesvik is in charge of the training in swimming and lifesaving out at sea. When news visits Namsos, it is only ten degrees in the water, and the fourth graders from Namsos primary school wear wetsuits in the water. – Yes, they must have it so they do not harden completely. Because it is something completely different to learn and swim out in cold water, than in a pool, she emphasizes. Swimming teacher Harriet Engesvik thinks it is very important that the kids get to be out in the sea, and feel the cold water. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news 75 died in the sea Last year, 75 Norwegians died in drowning accidents, and by the end of May, 25 people had died in the sea so far this year. The Norwegian Swimming Association is also happy that more Norwegian children are learning to swim out in the sea. – Having experience both indoors and outdoors is important. In this way you get to experience how the skills indoors are affected outdoors. – Outside, you have varying water temperature, currents in the water, waves, wind that affects the swimming skills, says development consultant Jan Kjensli in the swimming association to news. It is only ten degrees in the water, and the school students in Namsos must wear wetsuits so as not to solidify completely. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news In 2018, only 2 percent of Norwegian school students had outdoor swimming lessons, according to the Norwegian Directorate of Education. In recent years, several have had to try, but the Rescue Company believes the authorities must take this more seriously than they have done so far. – Large variations – We have a project called Safe in water, and runs training of many children. But far too few schools are involved, and the variations are very large. It is very dependent on committed people in the schools, and then the differences become very big. Everyone around the country must get the offer, says Katrine Lind-Olsen in the Rescue Company. The Directorate of Education is pleased that more schools are now conducting training in swimming and lifesaving outdoors. – This is very good and is in line with the competence goals in the curriculum for physical education. Schools are free to choose to swim outside, if they consider the conditions to be safe. The students will learn to learn swimming, self-rescue and lifesaving over several stages, emphasizes senior adviser Reidunn Aare Matthiessen to news. – It is good that many students in primary school have the opportunity to practice swimming and self-rescue in nature under safe conditions. – At the lower secondary level, all students must learn to carry out lifesaving in water, out in nature. It is important that the students learn to take care of themselves and others under realistic conditions outside, Matthiessen states. – Several will swim together Swimming teacher Torleif Formo in Namsos emphasizes that the students should manage in cold water. – Now before the bathing season, they will get to feel a little about being out in the cold water. Experience waves, and a little more outdoor temperature. This is important to avoid accidents. We focus on more people swimming together, so that they can take care of each other in the water, says Formo. – It’s out there the drowning accidents happen, and therefore it is important that the kids get to know it. They learn that it is not possible to swim as far as in a pool. They can not swim far in icy water. I think they become better at not overestimating their own skills in the sea, says Harriet Engesvik. School students also learn other activities at sea, such as kayaking. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news
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Here, Lykke learns lifesaving in cold water – news Trøndelag
