Water safety message getting through - fire chiefs

Fire chiefs in West Yorkshire say they have not had to rescue any young people from water since this spring

Fire service bosses in West Yorkshire have said they hope “the message has got through” to young people about the dangers of cold water, in the wake of several tragedies in recent years.

Figures show that 46 people lost their lives in the county's waterways in the 10 years from 2013 to 2023.

But at a meeting of West Yorkshire Fire Authority on Friday, councillors were told there had been no water rescue incidents involving young people since this spring, suggesting recent safety campaigns may have worked.

Area Commander Scott Donegan said: “In recent years we’ve seen a number of young people dying in our canals, rivers and reservoirs. Thankfully that is not what we are seeing this year so far.”

'Hitting home'

The fire authority’s Community Safety Committee was given an update on incidents the service has been called out to in recent months.

Mr Donegan told the committee that, since April, the service had made 18 water rescues.

He said: “One incident was a man who fell asleep on a riverbank and fell into the river. Another was a dog walker who slipped and fell into the water.

"One was an elderly person who lost control of their mobility scooter and drove into the water.

“What we haven’t seen is young people jumping into water. Hopefully that is due to the work we’ve been doing in recent years. It seems like that message is hitting home.

“I know schools close next week, so we’ll aim to have a strong presence on the waterways.”

He was asked whether the service’s water rescue team was adequately resourced financially.

Chief Fire Officer John Roberts told members that water rescue was not a statutory duty for the fire service, but added: “We are not funded for it, but we have committed resources to it. We do it because we feel it is the right thing to do."

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