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Contact:
THE FINNISH ASSOCIATION FOR SWIMMING INSTRUCTION AND LIFE SAVING

Kirvesmiehenkatu 4 A 6

FIN-00880 Helsinki

General

The Finnish Association for Swimming Instruction and Life Saving

The Finnish Association for Swimming Instruction and Life Saving (SUH) is an educational and information organisation established in the year 1956. It has 12 member associations and aims at improving the swimming skills of Finns and at reducing the number of fatal drowning accidents with the aid of education and instruction.

Our activities are financed by aid granted by the Ministry of Education out of pools prize funds, by aid granted by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health out of slot machine funds and by our own fund raising activities. Our own fund raising is mainly sales of accomplished swimmer badges and diplomas.

Our activity sectors are swimming instruction, life saving, baby and family swimming, special swimming, watertraining, Junior Life Saver Clubs and technical advice of planning, building and maintaining the swimming halls, spas and beaches.

In year 2003 a technical adviser began his job in SUH, and the technical service for those, who plan, build and maintain the swimming halls, spas and beaches began in its full effect.

SUH has also a very visible role in the “Safety In Water” campaign. Campaign is carried out together with the authorities, and it’s aim is to wake up and maintain discussion on water safety and give information about safety when being in or beside water. Campaign reminds people that most of the risk situations and drownings could very easily be prohibited. At the moment the slogan of the campaign is “ No one drowns”. Campaign reminds people of three themes: Swimming ability saves your life, Allways have lifejacket on when you are in water, No alcohol when you are in water. SUH accomplishes the campaign’s “Wisely in the water” tour in the sommer and “Common Sense on the Ice” tour in early spring and late autumn. In these tours the people are being taught how to save one self and how to save an other people, who is in trouble in water or has gone trough the ice.

Drowning statistics

The Association trains life savers, swimming instructors, baby and family swimming instructors, special swimming and water training instructors. Training in water safety is provided for the staffs of swimming halls, spas and summer camps.

SUH continues its campaign “Safe Baby and Family swimming places”. Ministry of Social affairs and Health decree on quality requirements and monitoring inspections of swimming pool and family spa water became effective in 1. may 2002. According to the decree must the temperature of baby swimming pool be at least +32 ºC. The quality and the monitoring of the swimming pool water should have been in accordance with the decree in 1. January 2004.

The Finnish Association for Swimming Instruction and Life Saving is a member of the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) and of the Nordic Life Saving Federation(NLF).

SUH’s main co-operator till year 2006 is Suomi-Yhtiöt. Co-operation between SUH and Suomi has a long tradition. In Finland’s beaches there still are lifebuoy’s which SUH and Suomi purchased when they were co-operators from 1958 to 1988. Suomi began to sell insurances again in 1. September 2000 and also became interested in renewing the co-operation with SUH. In year 2002 began SUH and Suomi deliver new bluewhite lifebuoy’s to our beaches. In 2002 about 50, in 2003 about 70 and in 2004 about 60 buoy’s were delivered. Normally the delivery takes place during the “Wisely in the Water” campaign from June to August.


THE FINNISH ASSOCIATION FOR SWIMMING INSTRUCTION AND LIFE SAVING
Ms Pärla Norha, Secretary General
tel. +358 9 343 6560
fax. +358 9 323 7553
email firstname.lastname(a)suh.fi


Members of the Association:

Swedish Sports Federation in Finland Finnish School Sport Federation Mannerheim League for Child Welfare Folkhälsan rf Finnish Sport for All Association General Association for Recreational Sports and Outdoor Activities Finnish Red Cross Finnish Workers Sport Federation Suomen Uimahallien Isännöitsijät ry Finnish Swimming Association Finnish Divers Federation Svenska Finlands Idrottsförbund SFI r.f.

The Association sets up as an objective for its member organisations to promote water and ice safety by their own activities.