Water safety a 'national issue' as Fire & Rescue Service backs national campaign

Wiltshire's Fire and Rescue service is backing a national campaign for improved water safety awareness.

The National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) has launched its 'Respect the Water' campaign after 193 people died in 2024 from accidental drownings.

One of those was in Wiltshire.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service described the campaign as 'incredibly important'.

DWFRS said: "Every year we see accidents involving water, and our prevention and education teams work hard to spread awareness of the dangers that water can pose. This campaign helps to us to remind the public to take steps to ensure not just their safety, but their loved one’s safety too."

The NSFW's campaign advises that anyone finding themselves in trouble should 'float to live'.

NWSF chair, Professor Mike Tipton, said: "We know that most people who die in cold water die in the first minute or two, and so if you can float and avoid thrashing about and swimming, go onto your back, ears in the water and enough skulling just to keep you afloat until you get your breathing under control, then that will significantly reduce the number of deaths we see on initial immersion."

He also warned us to not be fooled by the warmer summer temperatures: "At this particular time of the year, although the air temperature shoots up very quickly, the water temperature stays very cold and it's in the region where we get the dangerous cold shock response, for example.

"Even though the air temperature may be comfortable, this is still a really hazardous environment."

Professor Tipton stressed that this isn't an issue limited to the UK's coastal areas, with just over a third of deaths were of people who had no intention of going into the water.

If we see someone in trouble in the water, we're told to:

Call 999 to get help

Tell the struggling person to float on their back

Throw them something that floats, such as a life ring, inflatable toy, or bottle.

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