The drowning of 13 year-old Owen Jenkins in July 2017 catalyzed Nottinghamshire Water Safety Partnership to redouble its efforts. A risk assessment tool was agreed for countywide use, and works implemented as a result, to reduce the risk of accidental drowning.
The “OWEN” initiative was founded by Owen’s parents, and trains water safety ambassadors in schools, teaches children to “stay safe” should a friend get into trouble; how to make an emergency call and to whom; how to release and throw a throw line to help someone in the water; and raises awareness of the hidden dangers of open water.
The challenge
Drowning in the UK accounts for more fatalities annually than fire deaths in the home or cycling deaths on the road.
Two hundred and fifty-five people drowned accidentally in 2017 in the UK.
The solution
The UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016-2026 states:
- every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and receive water safety education at primary school and where required at Key Stage 3.
- every community with water risks should have a community level risk assessment and water safety plan
- to better understand water-related self-harm • Increase awareness of everyday risks in, on and around water
- all recreational activity organisations should have a clear strategic risk assessment and plans that address key risks.
The vision of the Nottinghamshire Water Safety partnership is:
- to evidence Nottinghamshire as a destination that takes every opportunity to maximise water safety; a county that seeks to reduce the cases of drowning and water related injuries through a programme of prevention, education and awareness targeted at those people and locations that are the most vulnerable
- to develop a collaborative approach that co-ordinates activity to influence environmental factors, location improvements, and the interventions required to improve behaviours related to water safety
- to help promote Nottinghamshire as a great place to live, work, visit and relax where people can enjoy all aspects of water based locations and activities in a safe manner.
The main partners involved in the water Safety Partnership are:
- Severn Trent Water
- RNLI
- Canal and River trust
- County Council , City and District Councils
- Notts Fire and Rescue Service
- RLSS
- Speedo International
- Notts Police
- Public health
- OWEN network
Our plan is to:
- establish and implement an effective Notts safety partnership
- profile the risk from water across Nottinghamshire
- establish and implement a prevention plan
- establish and implement a protection plan
- establish and implement an education plan
- establish and implement a communication plan.
The “OWEN” Network was established by Mr and Mrs Jenkins following the death by drowning of their son, who died having saved two of his friends from Beeston Weir. The project, which is being rolled out in local schools in the Broxtowe area, is a peer education project aimed at recruiting young “water safety ambassadors” to spread the word about the importance of being aware of the risks inherent in open water; the importance of staying dry and safe is a friend gets into difficulty; how to access a throw line; how to ring for emergency help and who to contact and how to throw a throw line.
The impact (including cost savings/income generated if applicable)
Every life lost is an avoidable tragedy for each family affected. It costs money to do justice to the necessary work in addressing and reducing water safety risks but the costs are far outweighed if only one life is saved.
How is the new approach being sustained?
The Nottinghamshire Water Safety Partnership oversees the development of the plan and the implementation of agreed actions.
Lessons learned
Addressing water safety risks required:
- a moral imperative to act
- multi agency co-operation
- clear leadership
- voluntary sector effort can be harnessed to the task of promoting water safety and augment the resources of Fire and Rescue and local Authority bodies.
Contact: Ruth Hyde OBE
Broxtowe Borough Council
[email protected]