UK Fire & Rescue Service Perspective on Water Safety Alison Kibblewhite, South Wales Fire & Rescue Service
Topics How the Fire & Rescue Service contributes to the reduction of accidental drownings across the UK National Fire Chiefs Council (formerly know as Chief Fire Officers Association) Brief look at best practice - Case Study Brighton Regional Water Safety work across the UK
THE NWSF: Strategy The Forum worked together during 2015 to produce the first UK Drowning Prevention Strategy in Feb 2016 it has 5 key objectives Every Child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and receive water safety education at primary school and where required at KS3 Every Community with water risks should have a community- level risk assessment and water safety plan To better understand water-related self-harm Increase awareness of everyday risks in, on and around water All recreational activity organisations should have a clear strategic risk assessment and plans that address key risks
Drivers Community impact: the loss of a life in any accident is tragic and has impacts for family and wider communities, but analysis of data shows that many water related fatalities are actually preventable Context: whilst the number of water fatalities in the UK is small compared to the Global issue, water still accounts for more deaths in UK than fires and cycling accidents and yet the government attention and funding has been low in comparison
How are the Fire & Rescue Services involved? National Fire Chief s Council (NFCC) Prevention Committee : Dawn Whittaker as NFCC Water Safety lead officer reports to this national committee NFCC Water Safety Executive Board: Dawn Whittaker Political lobbying, NWSF Board member Stuart Stevens Scotland, Funding & Advocacy Shantha Dickinson England, Business Data & Intelligence Alison Kibblewhite Wales, Chair of WS Practitioners Forum, Campaigns
Overarching aim of NFCC WS Executive To work with appropriate partners via the NWSF to implement the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy and work with other national and local organisations to improve water safety and reduce drownings.
NFCC WS Delivery Maximise partnership opportunities for drowning prevention work and campaigns Maximise sharing of best practice around UK Fire and Rescue Services and supporting development of local partnerships Further develop risk analysis and contribute rescue data to the WAID database Maximise opportunities for advocacy with local agencies and political bodies and capture policy work going on in different administrations (Scotland, England, Wales) Share any ideas for funding water safety work, sponsorship, grants, partnerships etc.
NFCC Water Safety Practitioners Forum Meet on a quarterly basis Deliver a water safety and drowning preventions campaign week during April/May every year #BeWaterAware Support other water safety drowning organisation campaigns throughout the year Share best practice, equipment, resources, research and ideas Maintain a UK wide partnership register
Example of Best Practice
Example of Best Practice
Example of best practice
Regional FRS Water Safety Workstreams Devon & Somerset FRS Water Safety Film for VR headsets East Sussex water safety education programme WS2 secondary schools in partnership with RLSS & RNLI Scotland Scottish Water Safety Strategy launched July 2017 based on early intervention initiatives and educational preventative programmes Tyne & Wear FRS Working in Partnership with Weatherspoons establishments alongside the river. Training staff to use throwlines and developed an SOP for staff.
Regional FRS Water Safety Workstreams cont d South Yorkshire throw line stations, data collection from all FRS s. Wales All Wales Water Safety Group, Launch of Welsh Baccalaureate Water Safety module in June available to all Sixth form students across Wales.