WATER SAFETY AND ELECTED MEMBERS:
It is your duty to assess the risk of public drowning in your communities.
Download our brief guide to the role of Elected Members, Member Champions and Police and Crime Commissioners in creating water safe communities.
Download our brief guide to the role of Elected Members, Member Champions and Police and Crime Commissioners in creating water safe communities.
"Drowning causes more accidental deaths than fire or cycling"
Portsafe is the lifesaving public access water rescue system that gives members of the public and emergency services a crucial opportunity to conduct swift and directionally-accurate rescues by giving permanent access to effective public rescue equipment (PRE) that is designed to retrieve casualties in the water from safe distances.
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Be Water Aware – April 20-26 2020.
Reach and Rescue supports the NFCC’s drowning prevention and water safety campaign called Be Water Aware which aims to raise awareness of the risk of accidental drowning.
National Water Safety Forum’s UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016-2026 aims to reduce the amount of accidental drowning fatalities in the UK by 50% by 2026.
Download UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016-2026
Reach and Rescue is a member of ROSPA – their ‘Managing Safety at Inland Waters‘ provides valuable advice and practical examples on risk assessment, selecting and evaluating controls and creating and aligning water safety policies.
What is our approach to public rescue?
There is a strong case for improving open water safety by focusing on increasing the possibility of self-rescue/public rescue and survival through the provision of effective public rescue equipment (PRE)
What is public rescue equipment (PRE)?
A range of devices including throw bags, life rings and rescue poles. Reach and Rescue’s long-reach telescopic water rescue poles are used by 80% of UK Fire and Rescue Services.
where should PRE be located?
The danger to a public waterway must be determined by undertaking a risk assessment. Reasonable steps should then be taken – such as installing Portsafe – to reduce the level of risk to the public.
PUBLIC RESCUE AND PORTSAFE
“Public Rescue Equipment is an addional mitigation that may afford the victim extra time or support to enable rescue”
CASE STUDY 1: "A Life Saving Device"
Portsafe Saves Public Life in Bedford
CASE STUDY 1: "A Life Saving Device" - Portsafe Saves Public Life in Bedford
After only two days in situ, a Portsafe with telescopic rescue pole on the embankment in Bedford was successfully deployed to save a member of the public from drowning.
A statement from Nick Lyall, Superintendent & Head of Operations at Bedfordshire Police:
"The pole was used to reach the person in the river and bring them to the safety of the bank where they received the medical care they required. From my perspective, a life saving device."
Read the Full Story »
CASE STUDY 2: Manchester Portsafe Features
in BBC Don't Drink and Drown News
CASE STUDY 2: Manchester Portsafe Features in BBC North West Tonight Don't Drink and Drown Campaign News
Portsafe installed in accident blackspots along the Rochdale Canal in Manchester City Centre were featured in a special report by BBC North West Tonight. Airing on Thursday 5th December, the news piece focused primarily on the safety measures that have been put in place at lock 89 of the canal since the tragic drowning of student Charlie Pope in 2018.
The Portsafe itself was installed through extensive collaboration with The Canal & River Trust, Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and through the inspirational campaigning of Charlie’s dad, Nick Pope.
Read the Full Story »
CASE STUDY 3: Portsafe Installed for
RLSS UK Drowning Prevention Campaign
CASE STUDY 3: Portsafe Installed Alongside River Severn as Part of RLSS UK Drowning Prevention Campaign
Our official Water Safety Partners the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) dedicated the Portsafe to Worcester University student Tom Jones, who passed away in September 2018 after falling into the river whilst walking home alone after a few drinks with his friends.
According to official statistics, between 2013 – 2017 there were 451 accidental drownings involving alcohol and/or drugs in the UK; this represents 29% of all accidental drownings that occurred during this period.
Read the Full Story »
According to official statistics, between 2013 – 2017 there were 451 accidental drownings involving alcohol and/or drugs in the UK; this represents 29% of all accidental drownings that occurred during this period.
WATER SAFETY AND ELECTED MEMBERS:
It is your duty to assess the risk of public drowning in your communities.
Download our brief guide to the role of Elected Members, Member Champions and Police and Crime Commissioners in creating water safe communities.
Download our brief guide to the role of Elected Members, Member Champions and Police and Crime Commissioners in creating water safe communities.