Fire service partnerships highlight water safety for World Drowning Prevention Day

25/07/2024

A new partnership highlighting how to stay safe around open water has been launched for World Drowning Prevention Day.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has partnered with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to include more lifesaving advice on throwline stations at key locations along the county’s waterways.

In addition to accessible throwlines that people can use to assist anyone having trouble in water, instructions for how to Float To Live have been added to the stations via a QR code.

Station Commander Paul Clarke, Community Risk Manager in charge of water safety at the Service and chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Water Safety Partnership, said: “This partnership with the RNLI helps build on our ongoing work to highlight and promote water safety. Adding this additional information from the RNLI really helps by giving simple to follow advice for those that get into difficulty in the water. While they practice floating to live someone will be able to access a throwline to help bring that person to the riverbank.

“We have overseen the installation of a number of throw line stations around the county where we know people enter the water, but we know there remain many unprotected locations where people use our waterways and we urge the public to enjoy the water but to understand the risks and be water aware.”

Simon Bristow, RNLI Water Safety Education Manager, North and East, said: “Our charity is proud to be working with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and supporting this lifesaving initiative.
“In addition to accessible throwlines, sharing vital information such as how to Float to Live, will ensure that more people know what to do if they get into difficulty in open water.

“This invaluable partnership will build on and enhance the work that has already been done to help keep local communities safe around water.”

This partnership builds on the range of safety work being done by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Water Safety Partnership.

Paul added: “We’d been discussing ways in which we can support those who encounter people in difficulty in our various water ways. The development and provision of the QR code is a very simple and cost effective way of providing people with as much lifesaving advice as possible.

“We’re also supporting the Royal Life Saving Society’s (RLSS UK) water rescue equipment registration programme via the GoodSAM app. The new app feature means first responders can locate the nearest water rescue equipment and the public can report any damaged or lost equipment.”

Chief Inspector Kieran Mylchreest, Response Manager and vice-chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Water Safety Partnership said: “Our aim is to prevent all water related deaths across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and to significantly reduce the severity of injuries and subsequent costs and social impacts from water related incidents. This initiative helps us work towards that aim and I’m grateful for the support that the RNLI provides our local partnership.”

To launch the initiative, partners met at Church Lane, Huntingdon, the site of the tragic incident where local student Rony John, 14, lost his life in a drowning incident 10 years ago.

Paul continued “With this year marking the 10th anniversary of Rony’s tragic death, we felt it only right that we chose the location of that tragedy to launch this new initiative.”