Children’s competition highlights sea safety

THE Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Drumcondra Education Centre have announced the winners of a competition that aims to raise awareness of safety at sea for children.

The

‘On the Ocean’ art and writing competition was open to primary school children nationwide.

For children in coastal communities, there was an additional focus on the life of fishermen, staying safe at sea, the role of rescue services and life in fishing communities.

Winners in the Drumcondra Education Centre catchment area were: Eva Vidal, Junior Infants, St Vincent de Paul Infant School, Griffith Avenue, Marino; Tom O’Neill, 2nd Class, St Patrick’s Boys’ National School, Drumcondra Road; Ava Liddy, 4th Class, St Columba’s National School, Iona Road, Dublin 9; and Sean Molony, 6th Class, St Patrick’s Boys’ National School, Drumcondra.

Joanne Harmon, education manager at the Health and Safety Authority and Dr Eileen O’Connor, director of Drumcondra Education Centre, presented the winners with certificates and prize money of e50 at a workshop where the winning children had the opportunity to work with artists and writers from Kids’ Own Publishing.

A book on ocean safety will be published from their work and sent to all primary schools and libraries later in the year.

Ms Harmon said they were delighted to present the winner and runners-up with their well-deserved prizes.

“It’s so important for children to become aware of water safety and the dangers of the ocean, especially coming into the summer season when they are off school,

? she said.

In addition to raising ocean safety awareness among children, the HSA brought their primary school workshops directly to six fishing communities around the coast.

The competition and children’s book coincides with the authority’s awareness raising campaign aimed at reducing death and injuries in the fishing sector. Based on numbers employed, sea fishing is the most dangerous sector in which to work and fishermen are up to 40 times more likely to be killed at work than other workers.

Dr O’Connor said:

“We are delighted to be associated with a competition which is promoting the health and wellbeing of children in relation to ocean safety and raises awareness of the high levels of risk that fishermen undertake in their work.

“The students truly enjoyed exploring these themes and learning about life in coastal communities.

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Dr O’Connor added:

“Children are a huge source of influence in families and if they can be made aware to keep themselves safe then they can also bring the safety message home to parents.

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