NFCC highlights national action needed on water safety

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has stated that national-level action is required to reduce accidental drownings across the UK.

According to the NFCC, the absence of a statutory responsibility for inland water rescue in England limits how fire and rescue services can respond to and prevent these incidents.

The NFCC made this call during its Be Water Aware campaign week, which coincides with early May temperatures reaching record highs in parts of the UK.

Be Water Aware campaign urges political commitment

The NFCC said that 1,409 people died in accidental drownings between 2019 and 2023, based on data from the Water Incident Database.

It reported that 57% of those deaths occurred in inland waterways such as rivers, canals and lakes.

Chris Kirby, NFCC Water Safety Lead, 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.”

Kirby added: “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.”

Lack of statutory duty and funding in England

The NFCC stated that, unlike in Wales, fire and rescue services in England are not legally required to respond to inland water incidents.

It said this can result in inconsistent resourcing, equipment and training across the UK.

The NFCC noted that Scotland and Northern Ireland have some statutory duties linked to flooding response, while England does not have a comparable legal obligation for water rescue.

It added that there is currently no sustained funding stream for fire and rescue services to support water rescue and prevention work.

The NFCC said that creating a legal basis for these responsibilities would improve the ability of services to plan and fund such activities.

NFCC calls for a lead UK department on water safety

The NFCC and the National Water Safety Forum have both called on the UK Government to appoint a Minister responsible for water safety.

They said that the lack of a clear policy lead at the national level is hampering coordination, accountability and development of water safety strategies.

The NFCC stated that devolved governments in Wales and Scotland already have Ministers with this responsibility, enabling better oversight of drowning prevention.

It also endorsed recommendations made in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ Safer Lives, Stronger Nation report for the UK Government to adopt a national accident prevention strategy.

Climate change increasing water safety risks

The NFCC warned that climate change is making water safety risks more severe.

It said that extreme weather events are contributing to both wetter winters and hotter summers, which could result in more people exposed to dangerous water conditions.

The organisation said this makes the case stronger for giving English fire and rescue services a legal role in water safety and response.

It also highlighted that the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016–2026 is nearing its end and said a new strategy will be developed.

It said a designated Minister could play a key role in improving national coordination of that work.

NFCC urges legal reform on inland water rescue responsibilities: Summary

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for national-level action on water safety in the UK.

It made the call during its Be Water Aware campaign week.

The NFCC wants the UK Government to introduce a statutory duty for fire and rescue services in England to carry out inland water rescue and prevention.

It said that 1,409 people died from accidental drownings between 2019 and 2023.

It stated that 57% of these deaths occurred in inland waterways.

NFCC Water Safety Lead Chris Kirby said legal change is needed to improve emergency response.

The NFCC also wants a UK Minister to take responsibility for water safety prevention.

It said a lack of statutory duty in England leads to inconsistent training, equipment and standards.

It reported that Wales has a statutory duty and Scotland and Northern Ireland have legal duties linked to flooding.

The NFCC noted there is no continuous funding for water safety activities.

It said climate change is increasing the likelihood of dangerous water-related incidents.

The NFCC supports the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ call for a national accident prevention strategy.