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The 9th Workshop on the Water Rescue and Survival Research
27 November 2021
ONLINEThe Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research“Uitemate” is an important motto to help survive sudden wateraccidents. When a person encounters a water related incident, it is vitalto keep the air-way free by floating on their back (uite) and waiting fora rescuer to come to their assistance (mate).
Uitemate challenges the current thought of water rescue to where thevictim plays the leading role, not rescuer.

Welcome Message
It is our greatest honor and pleasure to host the 2021 workshop on water rescue and survival research(Uitemate 2021) online.
The Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research has spent nine years to spread Uitemate, theimportant skills of victims in water accident, in Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand,Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Moreover, we had great opportunities to meet all theresponsible Uitemate leaders in each country to foster Uitemate instructors in their countries. The mainaim of this workshop on Uitemate is to share the information about water accidents and disasters
around the world and its countermeasures.
We welcome all of you to our 9th International Workshop on Water Rescue and Survival Research(Uitemate 2021).

Executive Committee Members
Hidetoshi Saitoh, Ph. D.
Chairman, Organizing Committee of Uitemate Workshop 2021
Professor, Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan
Takahiko Kimura, Ph. D.
Co-Chairman, Organizing Committee of Uitemate Workshop 2021
Professor, Meiji University of Integrative Medicine, Japan
Yoshihiro Ominato, Mr.
Co-Chairman, Organizing Committee of Uitemate Workshop 2021
Associate Professor, National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College, Japan
Tetsuya Yokota, Mr.
Co-Chairman, Organizing Committee of Uitemate Workshop 2021
Director, Vessel Operation Div. Nippon Marine Enterprises, LTD. Japan

General Information
Date

November 27th, 2021

Venue
ThemeOnline (Zoom)
Water accidents and disasters around thecountermeasures
http://wr.umin.jp/2021international.html
EnglishOfficial Website
Official Language

world andits

Registration
For your registration to Uitemate 2021, please access to the URL below and fill out the form.
https://forms.office.com/r/rPAeGP8yEC
You will receive the Zoom URL to join our workshop approximately one week before the workshop(Nov. 27). We are sorry to mention but due to the capacity of our Zoom, we will send the URL ONLY
to the first 300 people.

Uitemate 2 21
The 9th Workshop on the Water Rescue and Survival Research: Uitemate 2021 (online)
Date:
November 27, 2021 14:00-16:30pm (JST)
Venue:
Online (Zoom meeting)Language: English
Organizer: The Society of the Water Rescue and Survival Research*Presentation: 15 minutes for each presentation + 5 minutes of Q&A*The time on this timetable is all Japan Standard Time (JST). Please make sure and check thatyou have time difference between the time zone of your country and that of Japan.
13:30~

Preparation (Participants can try their connections)

14:00-14:10

Uitemate 2021 Starts, welcome and admin matters

14:10-14:20

Opening Remarks:

14:20-14:30

Introduction:
Mr. Tetsuya Yokota [Japan]
Uitemate international activities

14:30-15:10

Keynote speech:
Mr. Terence Toriano [Philippines]“Uitemate Introduction to New Participants”

15:10-15:30

Presentation 1:
Mr. Fitzkhoon Liang [Singapore]“COVID-19 and Drowning Prevention”

15:30-15:40

SHORT BREAK 10 min.

15:40-16:00

Presentation 2:
Mr. Asanka Nanayakkara [Sri Lanka]“How did UTIMATE help to reduce drowning in Sri Lanka”

16:00-16:20

Presentation 3:

Dr. Hidetoshi SAITOH (President of SWRSR)

Ms. Junko Nagahara [Japan]“Relationship between iconography of water accident tradition and water accident
prevention education in Asian countries”

16:20-16:30

Closing Remarks:

16:30

End of Uitemate2021

Mr. Yoshihiro Ominato!!Please note that the schedule for this workshop is subject to change without prior notice.!!

UITEMATE Workshop 2021
Presentation Summary
Keynote speech 14:30-15:10 (JST)Mr. Terence Toriano (Philippines)[Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Kalibo /Division Chief]“Uitemate Introduction to New Participants”
The presentation is more about introducing the concept of Uitemate to the New Participants fromthe science to the practical application and making it understandable even for non-English Speaking
participants who may only have limited knowledge in the English language.

Presentation 1 15:10-15:30 (JST)Mr. Fitzkhoon Liang (Singapore)[Singapore Life Saving Society]“COVID-19 and Drowning Prevention”
Social distancing has kept us safe from the virus. This time around, we would like to use the same
concept and remind everyone to keep you and your loved ones within one arm's length, whenever they
are in waters. We will also be sharing some images on our refresher course on survival swimming

Presentation 2 15:40-16:00 (JST)Mr. Asanka Nanayakkara (Sri Lanka)[President, the Life Saving Association of Sri Lanka]“How did UTIMATE help to reduce drowning in Sri Lanka”
The Drowning Prevention Report issued by the Sri Lanka Life Saving (SLLS) in 2014 stated thataverage deaths reported per year within the country had been around 850 during the period of 2001
to 2009 and 4.2 deaths per 100,000 during the period of 2012 to 2014.

The drowning prevention

report that was issued in 2020 covering the period of 2016 to 2018, states that the fatal drowning ratein the country has been improved by 20% within that stipulated period and recorded as 755.
According to the report in 2020, the recent census obtained in this regard states the prime reasonsfor such accidents have been identified as the negligence, ignorance, consumption of alcohol, lessswimming ability and lack of usage of safety equipment.

The UITEMATE program first started in Sri Lanka in 2012 with the objective of developing apartnership between SLLS and the Japan Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research. Currently
there are over 500 UITEMATE instructors all around the island, and almost 10,000 school students
have been trained by them annually till 2019. Altogether more than 75,000 school children havetrained throughout the 25 districts in the Island until 2021.

Presentation 3 16:00-16:20 (JST)Ms. Junko NAGAHARA (Japan)[OSAKA UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Language and Culture / Associate Professor]“Relationship between iconography of water accident tradition and water accident prevention
education in Asian countries”
In this presentation, the research subject is the case of iconography of water accident tradition in
Asian countries. In Japan, Kappa (spirits that are considered the cause of water accidents) are often
drawn on signboards for preventing water accidents installed on the side of rivers and ponds. Inaddition, the character of Kappa depicted in children's picture books is not one. For example, scary,friendly, weak, and so on. In Asian countries as well, there are examples of iconography of water
accident traditions on posters for the prevention of water accidents.
Studies to date have revealed that people's beliefs, beliefs, folklores, and customs are also used indisaster prevention activities and education.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to clarify the cultural relationship between people in eachregion and water bodies such as rivers and seas by comparing the visualization of water accident
traditions in Asian countries. It is also aimed to make the iconography of the mysterious tradition
useful for water accident prevention education.