Latest figures from the National Water Safety Forum show that 255 people lost their lives in accidental drownings in the UK in 2017.

The number, from the Forum’s Water Incident Database (WAID), represents two-fifths (41 per cent) of the overall number of deaths in water that year (592) and includes 13 cases in which natural causes of death were suspected or confirmed. Other causes include suicide (209), crime (5), and cases in which the cause was not recorded or confirmed (123).

As in previous years, men (217) are disproportionately represented in the statistics, with young and middle-aged males being particularly affected.

The majority of incidents occurred at the coast/shore/beach (68) or on rivers (64). As in previous years, a large proportion of those who died did so while taking part in an activity in which they never intended to be in the water – 106 people drowned while walking or running.

WAID compiles statistics from across the UK from a number of sources, including inquests, and breaks these down into deaths by activity, age, location type and geography, to give those working in prevention a clearer idea of where to target interventions.

A full copy of the UK Annual Fatal Incident Report 2017 can be viewed at: www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/waid/reports.asp

Coastal Safety Group initial meeting

Our brand new Coastal Group met at the RLSS offices in May, following a meeting of the existing Beach Advisory Group in the morning. The group brings together representatives from many of the major water safety organisations whose aim is to help save lives around the coast. It will work to raise awareness of the risks and take action to inform the public to keep people safe whilst participating in leisure activities on the coast.  In the future other organisations such as local resilience forums and local government associations may be invited to join.

This time the group discussed how organisations would support the National Drowning Prevention Strategy and how risk assessments and safety plans might be made consistent across the country. Updates included information about:

• the Casualty Review Panel which assesses whether a person’s life might have been saved by a lifejacket
• Surf Lifesaving GB volunteers beginning beach patrols
• The National Trust working with the RNLI to improve safety at coastal locations
• RYA’s launch of Emily’s Code
• RLSS’s Drowning Prevention Week
• The work that NCI is carrying out with the Coastguard to help them with the reporting of incidents
• A new RNLI project on coastal walking

 

One-off evidence session for the UK National Drowning Prevention Strategy announced

This one-off oral evidence session scrutinises the structure and coordination of organisations that work to prevent and respond to emergency incidents around the coastline, including the implications of recent reorganisations of the Coastguard and Search and Rescue helicopter services, and integration with the traditional land-based emergency services. The session considers issues around beach safety, and the responsibilities of beach owners and managers, in the light of a spate of tragic accidents at a number of locations in summer 2016. There are also broader questions about implementation of the UK’s first National Drowning Prevention Strategy, which was launched in February 2016 and is supported by a range of organisations, including the Department for Transport.

More information can be found at the Committee homepage.

Figures reveal 321 people died in accidental drownings in 2015

New figures released today (July 29) reveal that 321 people lost their lives in accidental drownings in the UK in 2015.

The figures, published by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), also show that the majority of those who died did not intend to be in the water, with 82 people having drowned while walking or running, and 29 deaths while taking part in a commercial activity.

The number also includes 30 people who died from suspected natural causes while or after being in the water.

NWSF’s Water Incident Database (WAID) compiles drowning statistics from across the UK and breaks these down into deaths by activity, age, geographical location, and location type.

The majority of deaths occurred at the coast/beach/shore (95) and in rivers (86). As in previous years males are most susceptible to drowning, with 232 men and boys being recorded as having drowned, compared to 43 women and girls. There was a higher number of deaths for males than females recorded in every single age bracket.

Children and youths aged up to 19 represent 10 per cent of those killed, with 32 dying in 2015,  23 of these being in the 15-19 bracket. July represented the highest number of deaths (46, up from 34 in June and 35 in August), while many people also drowned in January (40).

In England 231 people were killed in accidental drowning or where natural causes were suspected, with 50 in Scotland, 33 in Wales, and three in Northern Ireland.

George Rawlinson, chairman of the NWSF, said: “As the holiday season commences I am saddened that still too many lives are needlessly lost, this alone clearly demonstrates the need for action. The forum, through its partner organisations, is determined to tackle drowning so that the families and loved ones of these tragedies may be comforted in the knowledge that we’re all working together to reduce incidents around our coast and inland waters and protect future generations.

“With Government support for our first National Drowning Prevention strategy launch early this year, we’re actively progressing towards a goal where more people can enjoy the water safely.”

A full copy of the UK Water-Related Fatalities 2015 report can be viewed at: http://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/waid/reports.asp

 

Water safety group’s call to action to reduce drowning

A national drowning prevention strategy that aims to halve the number of fatal incidents on or near water will be launched on 29 February by Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP.

The document, created by members of the National Water Safety Forum* (NWSF) is the UK’s first drowning prevention strategy, created in response to the World Health Organization’s report on global drowning, which recommended that every nation should have a drowning prevention strategy.

About 400 people drown and a further 200 take their own lives in our waters in the UK every year; that equates to one accidental drowning every 20 hours. Activities in and around water are safer now than ever, but 44% of drowning fatalities happen to people who had no intention of entering the water.

The UK strategy highlights the areas that organisations need to focus on to make a difference and asks for support in contributing towards the national plan. The NWSF strategy page can be viewed here: http://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/strategy/

The NWSF will be asking organisations and individuals to sign up to a pledge to reduce drownings; to contribute towards the shared objective by making the National Strategy a local priority and by actively supporting the intention of the Strategy by raising the profile of drowning in the UK.

Robert Goodwill said:

“The number of people drowning each year is shocking and must be cut. As an island nation the water plays an integral part of our lives. But the sea, rivers, lakes and canals are all too frequently killers and action needs to be taken.

“That is why I fully support the launch of this drowning prevention strategy. Working together we can significantly reduce the number of tragic deaths and prevent the families of hundreds of people each year going through unbearable pain and suffering.”

George Rawlinson, Chair of the National Water Safety Forum commented:

‘Hardly a day goes past without some sort of human tragedy taking place in UK waters. Around four-hundred people accidentally drown each year in the UK – this is unacceptable and it’s a problem that we need to face up to together.

‘The organisations represented through the National Water Safety Forum have united in a common aim – to prevent history repeating itself in this tragic way, year after year, and to use our resources in the most effective way to halve accidental drowning fatalities in the UK by 2026.  It’s an ambitious target but well worth striving for. Now we have a strategy, we have a focus and, most importantly, a call to action to do more to combat drowning. Ultimately, we hope to save every life – one life lost is one too many.’

£915,000 boost to water rescue charities

Almost £1 million has been awarded by Maritime Minister Robert Goodwill today (18 February 2016) to 51 UK charities to support water rescue services in local communities.

The government scheme gives voluntary groups crucial funding for new equipment and training to support their rescue efforts on and around inland and inshore waterways.

The money is for the purchase of lifeboats, launch vehicles, rafts and safety gear, as well as going towards training and other costs to support lifesaving efforts.

This is the second year of the 5 year scheme. In January 2015 more than £800,000 was awarded to 21 charities across the UK.

See the full recipients at www.gov.uk

 

 

Number of UK drownings at lowest since records began

The number of accidental drownings in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since records began.

There were a total of 338 water-related deaths from accidents or natural causes across the UK in 2014, according to a report published today by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF).

That number, from statistics published by NWSF, has fallen from 381 in 2013, and is the lowest figure since data collection began in 1983.

The NWSF’s Water Incident Database (WAID) breaks down drownings and other water-related deaths by activity, age and location type.

The highest proportion of those people who have lost their lives in 2014 did not intend to be in the water – the main activity being undertaken before they died was walking or running alongside water (138 deaths, predominantly in rivers and coastal water), while 36 people drowned while swimming in unsupervised places, the next leading cause.

Last year’s figures show that, like previous years, males (271) are more likely to drown than females (71), with a higher number of deaths for males than females in every single age bracket recorded.

Men aged between 25-29 are a particular concern, with 29 dying in 2014. Children aged up to 19 account for just over one in 10 of all deaths (38), with 21 of those in the 15-19 age bracket.

July saw the biggest spike in the number of deaths (43, up from 20 in June and 29 in August), while January was also a problem month, with 38 people killed.

George Rawlinson, chairman of the NWSF, said: “It’s really positive that we’re starting to see a decline in the numbers of accidental drownings but any loss of life is tragic and there’s more that we can do to reduce these figures further. WAID provides vital insight that helps interested groups shape interventions to protect those people most at risk.

“The NWSF and their respective organisations work tirelessly to promote education and water safety and together are now developing a strategy that could be adopted nationally; this will provide an important framework for identifying how improvements in safety and education could be made to tackle this problem.

A full copy of the UK Water-related Fatalities 2014 report can be viewed at: www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/waid/info/waid_fatalincidentreport_2014.xls

MAIB Safety Digest: April 2015

The latest MAIB safety digest was published earlier in April with reports into nine recreational craft investigations.

According to the Steve Clinch, The Chief Inspector, failure to plan is common theme running through latest investigations:

The consequences of failing to properly plan a voyage on a large merchant ship are graphically described in Case 2 but Case 20 describes a similar outcome, this time on a leisure vessel. Previous Safety Digests have regularly highlighted the importance of wearing lifejackets when working on the open decks of fishing vessels and leisure craft. Fitting spray hoods to lifejackets and investing in Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and an EPIRB can also save lives. Fitting a liferaft, even though one may not be required by regulation, is also a smart move – should the worst happen, why get wet when you can remain relatively dry and warm until help arrives?

Any accident can be life changing – not only for those directly involved but also for their colleagues and loved ones. Therefore, before commencing any potentially hazardous task, whether on deck, in the engine room, on a large ship or small, get into the habit of asking yourself “what’s the worst that could happen?” then check that the necessary barriers are in place to protect yourself, the ship and everyone on board.

The full digest can be read here.

Message from George Rawlinson, new Chair of the National Water Safety Forum

I’m honoured to have been offered the post of Chair and willingly accepted it. The opportunities abound and I’m inspired by the future and NWSF’s quest to save more lives. I believe we can take NWSF to another level. By using the collective influence and collaborative power of all partners and members, we can raise its profile and make an even bigger societal impact through water safety with the vital ‘WAID’ database and its outputs underpinning and informing our work. It’s so important to support, develop and use ‘WAID’ in the short medium and long term.

The achievements to date by our working groups are already impressive and on behalf of the coordinating group, I thank RoSPA in their role as secretariat, as well as, Tony Stammers who has been Acting Chair and Jim Watson Deputy Chair for their commitment and hard work. Both Tony and Jim will continue as deputies and I’m hugely grateful to them for their on-going support.

NWSF working groups and members provide expertise and advice to a wide range of people and organisations engaged in many different activities from beach to diving to inland waters. What excites me about the NWSF is its ability to harness and use this talent and strategic relations while respecting the aims and objectives of the individual organisations involved.

As the RNLI’s Operations Director I strive to draw on my 25 years of RNLI operational experience when thinking about the future and what we can all do to prevent drowning, promote a water safety culture and make a real difference to society and I recognise the value of collaboration. I’ve been fortunate to experience and benefit from a wealth of knowledge and expertise offered by other like-minded organisations. Through our combined efforts we can position the NSWF to play a key role in water safety and be the voice of authority on the subject.

Like the RNLI, I believe all members have an aspiration to prevent drowning and make the water safer for all. By galvanising our collective desire for a national strategy to tackle drowning, the NWSF coordinating group has already moved this initiative on significantly.

At December’s strategy workshop a plan was devised which will lead to a National Strategy. It’s impressive and a mark of commitment that a dedicated project group has now formed to progress these plans. The project group has started work in earnest to create the strategy ahead of a launch date set for a target after the General Elections.

The strategy is essential and creates an ideal platform for NWSF to demonstrate its leadership and role. It also ties into the World Health Organisation’s recent global drowning report where they are calling for nations to develop strategies that will address the problem estimated at 372,000 lives lost each year worldwide. With this in mind, the communications groups will be looking at how best to position the strategy and raise the profile of NWSF with all stakeholders to ensure our voice is heard.

So, there are exciting and busy times ahead and I’m looking forward to being even more involved with the NWSF work and plans for the future, as well meeting the people and organisations involved.

Thank you for all that you and your respective organisations do to support and further the aims and objectives of the NWSF. Please do not hesitate to make contact with me concerning the NWSF and its work.

George Rawlinson

River Basin and Flood Risk plans – Environment Agency consultations

The Environment Agency is seeking views on proposals to improve the water environment and protect communities from flood risk in England.

They would like your input on updates to river basin management plans and flood risk management plans. Once agreed, these plans will shape decisions, direct investment and action and deliver significant benefits for society and the environment.

River basin management plans set out long term objectives for the quality of the water environment. They identify the condition of rivers, lakes and coastal waters and the pressures on them. The plans provide evidence that will help those with an interest in the water environment to agree where improvements can be made.

Flood risk management plans describe the risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, surface water, groundwater and reservoirs. They set out how the Environment Agency, local councils and water companies will work together, with communities, to manage flood risk.

• You can respond to the river basin management plan consultations at: gov.uk/government/consultations/update-to-the-draft-river-basin-management-plans
• You can respond to the flood risk management plan consultations at: gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-flood-risk-management-plans

These links will also explain how to respond to consultations in river basin districts which cross borders with Scotland and Wales.

The formal closing date for the flood risk management plan consultation is 31 January 2015, while the river basin management plan consultations will run for six months, ending on 10 April 2015.