Firefighters are urging people not to swim in unsupervised lakes and pools as Stone basks in the current heatwave.
Shocking statistics from the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) have revealed that drowning is still the third most common cause of death in children in the UK.
[box type=”shadow” align=”aligncenter” ]Head of Risk Reduction Jim Bywater said: “While the thought of cooling off in the water may seem tempting, it carries substantial risks, particularly in lakes or pools that are unsupervised. The consequences can be life-threatening if things go wrong.
“There are often hidden dangers that can’t be seen on the surface, such as strong undercurrents and undergrowth. I would urge people to call 999 immediately if they do see someone in difficulty and to request the fire and rescue service. If there are buoyancy aids available, throw them over to the person but never get into the water yourself as you could find yourself in the same situation.
“We have support staff delivering educational programs to schools throughout the region highlighting the dangers of water and fire but unfortunately each year there are tragedy’s where people just think they will be ok. A recent water death happened in the Burton canal where a man thought he would cool off but got into difficulties. This brings a total of 9 deaths this year alone.
“We have specialist teams that are trained in water rescues and have two boats available for us to use should we need to. However, that does not mean that it is safe to risk getting into the water – don’t put yourself in a position where you may need rescuing.”[/box]
Please visit the website for more tips – https://www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk/3518.asp
