The North East Ambulance Service is urging the public to think about water safety before heading into the water this summer.
The North East Ambulance Service is urging the public to think about water safety before heading into the water this summer.
Water safety is an ongoing threat to lives and understanding the risks and impact this has is extremely important to families and individuals as we head into the peak of summer.
Even during the hot summer days or the days of rain and wind, inland waters, such as rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs and quarries are all places of accidental drowning.
According to National Water Safety Forum, there were ‘226 accidental fatalities in the UK in 2022: 105 of them during June, July and August and recreational activities accounted for 58% of accidental fatalities.’
Emergency services are called on many occasions for water related incidents and there are things you can do to prevent incidents from occurring.
In the last 12 months, the Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) have attended around 40 water related incidents.
The HART team are specially trained to respond to high-risk environments and complex emergency situations.
When the HART team are called to a water related incident, the team are equipped with a range of gear including:
- A dry suit
- Water rescue helmet
- Glow stick
- Waterproof boots
- Safety knife
- Water whistle
- Thermal clothing
- Personal Flotation device (PFD)
- Water Gloves
Alun Ross, HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) and Resilience Manager, said:
"Unfortunately, as the weather gets warmer, we can receive more calls to patients who have found themselves in trouble or unwell in open water. This makes our call for more water safety awareness and vigilance even more important around this time of year.
“We encourage people to be safe when enjoying our waterways and coast responsibly. Even when water may appear calm and safe, it can sometimes be deceptive. People should ensure they call 999 and think carefully before entering the water.
Royal Lifesaving Society UK offer tips on staying safe in the water:
Stop and think:
- Is the area safe?
- Are you a good swimmer?
Remember:
- Enter slowly and carefully.
- Read local signs and research local information.
- Enter slowly and don’t go too far.
- Stay together.
- Seek lifeguard areas.
Remember, if you spot someone in struggling in water, ‘Call, Tell, Throw'. Call 999, tell someone and throw something in the water that floats.
If you’re in trouble in the water – stay calm, float on your back and call for help.
For more information, visit Royal Lifesaving Society UK or the National Water Safety Forum websites.