‘Stay safe around water’: Drowning Prevention Charity to connect with blue light services

The Emergency Services Show, set to be held at The NEC, Birmingham from 21 – 22 September, is the leading event for all emergency service personnel, bringing the sector together with the aim of improving public safety.

RLSS UK will be attending the exhibition in the Collaboration Zone on stand S7, raising awareness of the dangers of water and how to keep both the public and blue light services safe. The charity will be focusing on the importance of establishing local partnerships to bring together the key services that are mobilised to either prevent drowning or to attend during an accident involving drowning.

Staff on the stand will also be promoting the charity’s national campaign, Drowning Prevention Week, which runs from 18 – 26 June this year. Each year, more and more blue light services get involved in campaign to help push vital water safety messages in their communities to help save lives.

RLSS UK’s Chief Executive, Di Steer, said: “Following from the devastating floods that hit the UK over the Christmas period, we will be continuing to establish local groups that build the resilience and skill to deal with water safety issues such as flooding – keeping both the public and emergency services safe.

“Our National Water Safety Management (NWSMP) is just one bespoke programme that we offer that can be can be tailored to suit the varying situations and needs of different services and staff in different scenarios.

Around 400 people needlessly drown in the UK every year and thousands more suffer injury, some life changing, through near-drowning experiences. Putting this into context, one person dies every 20 hours in the UK.

Di added: “Too many people tragically lose their lives to drowning in the UK every year and, although these figures are reducing, one drowning is one too many. By attending The Emergency Service Show we will be raising awareness of the importance of safety around any body of water that could potentially save hundreds of lives each year.”

RLSS UK staff will be at stand S7 at The Emergency Service Show, The NEC Birmingham on 21 – 22 September 2016. Come along and see us!