Teaching aquatic rescue one child at a time
On Monday, June 17, 2019, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, the Aquatic Rescue and Diving Center of Monaco, and the association Cap ô Pas Cap, co-organized the Water Safety Day, in partnership with the Monaco Red Cross, the Department of Education, Youth and Sport of Monaco, the Maritime Police of Monaco and “Water Family du Flocon à la Vague”.
Around 58 school children aged between 11 and 13 gathered at the Larvotto Beach in Monaco, to discover and learn about aquatic rescue, in the presence of Princess Charlene and her older brother Gareth Wittstock, General Secretary of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. (Photo: Princess Charlene surrounded by the participants in Water Safety Day 2019 @Eric Mathon, Palais Princier)
Students in the Principality from the Collège François d’Assise – Nicolas Barré, School Orientation and Integration, and the Collège Charles III, participated in different workshops: coastal rope rescue, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, drowning prevention, nipper boards, rescue tubes, and the large water cycle.
Raising awareness about first aid and water risks
Pierre Frolla, the four-time world record holder in free-diving, director of the Aquatic Rescue and Diving Center of Monaco and Ambassador of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, was accompanied by high-performance athletes and personalities to raise awareness among children about first aid and the risks related to the marine environment. (Photo below: Princess Charlene and Pierre Frolla at the nipper boards workshop @Eric Mathon, Palais Princier)
They were: Stéphanie Barneix, Cap Ô pas Cap Challenge, Lifesaving and Paddle Board World Champion; Alexandre Bermond, Swim Run Champion; Kevin Crovetto, gold, silver and bronze medalist gymnast at the Games of the Small States of Europe; actor Henry Davis; the humorist Hassan de Monaco, Julien Lalanne, Lifesaving World Champion; Sandrine de Labarre, from “Water Family du Flocon à la Vague”; Anthony Mazzer, European Junior Lifesaving Champion; Alice Modolo, World free-diving vice champion; Gwendal Peizerat, French, European, World and Olympic ice dance champion and Kate Williams, Swim run Champion.
Ocean Race Sprint
Cheered by Marc Toesca, the athletes and personalities took part in a friendly competition called the Ocean Race Sprint (Challenge for the Committed Celebrities). Each team was drawn at random and composed of three athletes who took turns in competing in a relay format. The different challenges involved running, swimming and rescue paddle.
During this event, the Maritime Police of Monaco participated in a rescue demonstration using a newly launched jet ski, and Redtube’s and Oneup’s self-inflatable buoys. (Photo: Police Maritime 3-BD Rescue Demonstration @Fondation Charlene de Monaco)
Stand up for the planet
Sébastien Uscher launched the challenge “Stand up for the planet”, 30,000 paddle strokes for 30,000 pieces of waste collected. His start from Larvotto beach formalized the beginning of his awareness campaign to encourage young and old to pick up waste both on and offshore. (Photo: Princess Charlene and Sebastien Uscher, Stand up for the Planet @@Eric Mathon, Palais Princier)
Saving lives by preventing drowning
The messages of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation are more relevant today than ever: to raise public awareness of the dangers of water, to educate children about prevention measures and to teach them how to swim. It was a tragic summer last year in France, with 1,960 drownings recorded from June 1 to September 30, 2018, 597 of which were fatal, according to Santé Publique France.
Today’s Quote
“I grew up around the pool with my sisters. Both of my sisters swam. I was always there. So I thought, why not? My mom put us in the water for water safety, so we were comfortable in the water in case anything ever happened. I learned that way, and started liking it more and more.”Michael Phelps
Monaco Reporter 