Firefighters issue water safety warning as part of Drowning Prevention Week

With school holidays also approaching, the fire service is reinforcing its water safety messaging alongside RLSS UK’s Drowning Prevention Week.

GMFRS attended 23 fatal water incidents since April last year, with 65 since April 2020.

The number of fatal water incidents GMFRS attended rose slightly in 2024/25 compared to the year before. There have unfortunately been four deaths in water in the last twelve weeks alone – more than caused by fire in the same time.

Throughout summer, GMFRS will be sharing key safety advice and guidance, including:

• Float to Live: if you get into trouble in the water, tilt your head back with ears submerged; relax and try to breathe normally; move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat; it’s fine if your legs sink, we all float differently.

• Call, Tell, Throw: If you see someone in difficulty in water, call 999 and ask for the fire service (or the coastguard if at sea), tell the struggling person to float on their back and throw them something that floats. Do not go in the water yourself.

• Jumping in water can prove fatal: Water is often a lot shallower than it appears, and hidden hazards lurk below the surface.
• Even in hot weather the water is a lot colder: Jumping in can lead to cold water shock which can be fatal, even if you’re a strong swimmer.

Area Manager Billy Fenwick, Head of Prevention at GMFRS, said:

“It is vitally important that everyone knows, even strong swimmers, that there are always dangers with open water. Cold water shock can kill, and there are often hazards in water that are not seen from the surface. It is not worth dying for a dip.

“If you see someone in trouble in the water, remember: ‘Float to Live’. Always call 999 and ask for fire – or the coastguard by sea – if you see someone struggling in water, tell them to float and throw them a float aid if there is one nearby.

“We will be emphasising these messages throughout the summer and working with local communities and schools to get this across.”

During the summer, fire crews and our outreach team will be visible in communities and areas where people can be at risk, giving safety advice on the hidden dangers of open water, and what to do should anyone ever find someone, or themselves, in difficulty in water.

The city-region’s annual Safe4Summer partnership campaign runs alongside GMFRS’s water safety campaign in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the 10 local authorities that make up Greater Manchester. Water safety messages are reinforced through this campaign over the summer months.

Visit the GMFRS website for more information on water safety and the campaign.