Bruce Hopkins and Craig Riddington launch ‘Float to Survive’ water safety initiative

Lifesaving legends Bruce 'Hoppo' Hopkins and Craig Riddington have today launched ‘Float to Survive’ - a water safety initiative that aims to reduce the number of unnecessary deaths caused by drownings in Australia each year.

Launched at the annual conference of the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguards Association (APOLA) in Wollongong, the release of the initiative (which the pair have been developing through not-for-profit organisation Surf Educators International over several years) follows one of the deadliest seasons on record for beach drownings in Australia - during which 86 lives were lost, an increase of 30% from the previous summer.

‘Float to Survive’ calls for immediate change in how swimmers are advised to act when caught in an ocean rip by advocating floating, which minimises drowning risks by conserving energy and placing a person in a better position to breathe.

Documentation on ‘Float to Survive’ from Surf Educators International (SEI), advises that “it reduces physical fatigue caused by the instinct to fight and swim. It is a basic skill that is can be accessible and affordable to the wider population. It can be delivered to local swimming pools and beaches across Australia.”

Advising of the need for ‘Float to Survive’, Hopkins, who enjoys a global profile as a result of the international success of Bondi Rescue, stated "I've witnessed too many drownings occurring by people trying to swim or struggle when caught in a rip - our philosophy is if you can float you will have a much greater chance of survival.

"Floating is the single most important lifesaving skill that we can teach people because it allows them to conserve their energy and gives them vital time either to be rescued or to reach safety.

"We cannot have another summer like the one that has just passed - it is such a senseless waste of lives."

Riddington added “I’ve been teaching surf education for 20 years. It’s exciting to work with Hoppo so we can deliver a water safety program, which will make a difference.”

With the Float to Survive program offering a dynamic, targeted and cost effective water safety campaign able to be delivered in aquatic centres and at controlled beaches, the pair feel that with combined funding from local, state and Federal Government there is the potential for everybody in Australia to learn how to float and survive.

As Hopkins concludes “rips don’t drown people, people drown in rips.”

Hopkins, President of Surf Educators International (SEI), is Chief Lifeguard at Waverley Council with over 30 years of experience and who also appears on the hit TV series, Bondi Rescue that has run for 16 seasons.

Riddington, founder of SEI, is a former Surfing Ironman Champion and Australian representative swimmer who has been described as "the greatest ocean swimmer of all time".

Click here for more information on ‘Float to Survive’ on the SEI website.

Images: Bruce Hopkins and Craig Riddington launching the ‘Float to Survive’ water safety initiative today.