What is the 10/20 rule that can save a child from drowning this summer?

Torre del Mar beach on the eastern Costa del Sol was the setting on Tuesday 29 July for the presentation in the Axarquía of the 'Ojo con el agua' (be careful in the water) campaign, an initiative of the Junta's Andalusian Emergency Agency (EMA) which aims to raise awareness of the risks and promote responsible behaviour that saves lives in the sea and in swimming pools. Last year alone 102 people drowned in Andalucía and 16 of those incidents happened in Malaga province.

The event was attended by the representative of the Andalusian regional government in Malaga, Patricia Navarro; mayor of Vélez-Málaga, Jesús Lupiáñez; the councillor for beaches, David Vilches; head of the Civil Protection service of Malaga, Ana Celia González and Fracisco Pozo, managing director of the 061 health emergency centre, who all agreed on the "importance" of this campaign as a "key tool" for reducing drownings both in the sea and in swimming pools.

One of the keys to the campaign is the protection of children and the message is the '10/20 rule': to look at the child at least every ten seconds and to be no more than twenty seconds away from being able to assist them. "No float or armbands substitute the constant attention of an adult. Children must learn to float and swim as soon as possible, but in the meantime, they need all our vigilance and responsibility," explained Ana Celia González.

The campaign is being promoted using television, radio, press, and social media and uses a direct and emotional approach to reach all audiences, especially parents, young people and swimmers and the message is clear: prevention is key.

In 2024 the emergency 112 service coordinated 169 rescues, of which 89 took place on beaches. Of the 16 people that drowned in Malaga province, eight of them were in rivers and the sea and another eight in swimming pools, one of whom was a minor. However, in the province, the number of deaths has decreased since 2019, when there were 27. The EMA has emphasized the need to swim in monitored areas, respect the colour of the flags on beaches and avoid diving in shallow areas.

During Tuesday's presentation the 'Catálogo de Playas' application was also launched which provides useful information such as the location of lifeguard towers, swimming areas, nautical channels and meeting points in case of emergencies like a possible tsunami.