Crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) held a water safety event last weekend at Riverside Park to celebrate new water safety measures.

St Mary’s crews joined Southampton Maritime Volunteer Service, and the Royal National Lifeboat Service (RNLI) on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday 28 to demonstrate to spectators how to use a throw rope to reach a casualty struggling in the water or stuck in the mud.

 

HIWFRS had a fire engine at the event, and Southampton Maritime Volunteer Service’s vessel Itchen was on patrol on the water. Water safety advice was also given to members of the public as part of the National Fire Chief Council’s annual Be Water Aware Week campaign.

St Mary’s Watch Manager Adam Bundle said: “We planned this event to help raise awareness about the risk of accidental drowning, to teach people what to do in an emergency and how to safely use throwlines.

“We wanted to celebrate the partnership work we’ve been doing and with the support of Southampton City Council, eight throwline boxes will be installed in the park that weren’t here before we started.

“We’ve also recently launched a Southampton water safety forum for all local agencies to join together to help prevent drownings.”

Statistics reveal 40% of people who accidentally drowned had no intention of entering the water, says HIWFRS. Slips trips and falls were often the cause of these accidents.

If someone falls into the water, they advise remembering these steps:

• CALL 999 – never enter the water to attempt a rescue yourself.
• TELL – them not to panic and to try and float on their back.
• THROW – them something that floats and wait for the emergency services to arrive.

Photos & video: HIWFRS