Elche Researchers Helping Save Lives in the Water

Whilst once again much of the Costa Blanca has seen headlines surroundings deaths by drownings throughout the summer, one small part of the are is trying to improve water safety, as scientists at the UMH University of Elche have designed a swimsuit which contains floats to enable, they believe, children to learn to swim faster.

The swimsuit is the work of researchers for the Siissu company, based in the Scientific Park of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) in Elche, and has floating panels for the legs and back, which helps children learn to swim by giving them more confidence and prevents drowning.

This is a methodology based on three levels of learning, which is complemented by a new concept of swimsuits with these accessories placed strategically. Thanks to this method, which is aimed at children between two and six years old, the company has managed to reduce learning times from nine months to just three and offer greater safety to its users.

“Through our AquaSiissu activity we achieve a triple objective: we eliminate the fear of water, we reduce the rate of child drowning, since a greater number of children learn to swim, and we reduce the dropout rate in sports centres, thus maximising their profits”, says Siissu CEO and co-founder José David Sapienza.

Currently, Siissu is being implemented in sports centres nationwide. “We are working with very good results in centres in Benidorm, Alicante, Lleida and Zaragoza. In addition, we plan to close an agreement soon with a large chain that has more than thirty centres throughout Spain,” says Sapienza. Likewise, the executive director of the company highlights that among its objectives is also to begin to expand in Latin America, specifically in Chile, where they already have a brand ambassador who is presenting their method in Chilean sports centres.

The UMH has recalled that drowning is one of the main causes of infant mortality, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). And to help alleviate this, they place this initiative under the premise of “reducing this rate and encouraging children to lose their fear of water and learn to swim faster and more efficiently.”