Campaign Statement:

This World Drowning Prevention Day Water Search And Rescue Team (WSART) have launched our new #Lifelines campaign. The Canals And River Trust have started installing throw lines in key location across their network we are wanting to highlight the Lifelines that are available to members of the public and raise awareness of the dangers of entering the water.

The key messages involved are:

Keep Safe Do Not enter the water

Call 999

Ask Passersby for help

Shout- Call out the casualty can they stand up or swim towards you.

Reach- Is there something that you can use to reach out to them like a long tree branch or rescue pole

Throw- Use a throwline and aim to land just behind the casualty to enable them to hold on then be pulled back to the bankside or pendulum into a Eddie current or safe location on the bankside

But the most important message is to keep yourself safe. Do not put yourself in a position where you then become a casualty that needs to be rescued as its much easier to save one person than saving two.