National action needed to tackle drownings, say Fire Chiefs

Tackling drownings requires action at a national level, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said today. The warning comes as some parts of the UK are experiencing the hottest start to May on record, with more warm weather forecast for the days ahead and people likely to be spending more time in and around water. 

Marking Be Water Aware – NFCC’s campaign week which aims to raise awareness of the risk of accidental drowning – NFCC has reiterated calls for the UK Government to consult on introducing a statutory responsibility for inland water rescue response and prevention for English fire and rescue services, bringing them more closely in line with fire and rescue services in Wales. NFCC is also calling for a clear lead department with responsibility for water safety prevention to enable greater oversight of efforts to reduce drownings.  

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the UK. According to the latest Water Incident Database (WAID) statistics* in the period 2019–2023, 1,409 people lost their lives in accidental drowning incidents. Of these, 57% occurred in inland waterways such as rivers, lakes, and canals. Water safety risks will increase as climate change leads to more frequent summer heatwaves and people spend more time in and around water.  

Whilst there can be a public perception that fire and rescue services are responsible for responding to these water rescue incidents and delivering water safety prevention work (e.g., education), there is no statutory duty on fire and rescue services in England to do so. 

The absence of a statutory duty in England limits the resources fire and rescue services can allocate to water safety and rescue, resulting in differences in equipment, training, and standards between fire and rescue services. It can also lead to inconsistent levels of safety and preparedness across the four UK nations, with Wales having a statutory duty for inland water rescue and Northern Ireland and Scotland having some statutory duties in place in relation to serious flooding events. 

Currently there is no dedicated, continuous funding for fire and rescue service inland water safety response and prevention work. An enhanced legal basis for prevention activities and responding to community risks beyond fire will place fire and rescue services in a stronger position to protect and secure funding for these activities.  

National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Water Safety Lead, Chris Kirby, said: 

“Be Water Aware week is aimed at reducing drownings across the UK. Along with increasing public awareness around the risk of accidental drowning and spreading the word about how we can all keep ourselves safe, this year we are really seeking political buy in. 

 “1,400 people have died in accidental drowning incidents across just five years. We need urgent action to prevent anybody else coming to harm and that requires steps being taken at a national level.  

 “We are working closely with partners in the National Water Safety Forum to do whatever possible to reduce the risk, but we would like to see an increased political effort to drive down numbers. This also means consulting on giving fire and rescue services in England enhanced legal duties to respond to inland water incidents so that we can be better equipped and prepared to deal with those emergencies when they happen.” 

Policy making and benchmarking are also being hampered by the lack of a lead Government department with accountability for water safety. Both NFCC and the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) have urged the Government to appoint a Minister to take lead responsibility. The call also supports the recommendations in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Safer Lives, Stronger Nation report for Government to establish a “national focal point” organisation or department for drowning prevention” – which NFCC supports – and asks UK government to adopt a National Accident Prevention Strategy.  

The NWSF produced the current UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016–2026. As that strategy draws to a close and work gets underway on a new strategy, the ask for a Minister to hold the policy brief could improve the focus on water safety at a national level. Devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland both have a Minister with responsibility for water safety, allowing better coordination and monitoring of work to address water safety risks and deaths.  

Climate change also poses a concern, as increases in extreme weather events mean there is a greater likelihood of wetter winters, potentially increasing the risks of accidental falls into water. Meanwhile, warmer, drier summers are likely to result in more people participating in water-based sports and activities or entering the water to cool down, thereby increasing the risk of a rise in accidental drownings.

For more information follow #BeWaterAware on social media or visit Be Water Aware – NFCC

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