P-06-1212 Mark Allen's Law - we want throwline stations around all open water sites in Wales, Correspondence – The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to Committee, 07.01.22

Thank you for the invitation to provide a RoSPA perspective. As hosts of the UK’s drownings database (WAID) and the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), we are very keen to do anything we can to deliver the NWSF’s strategy and halve the number of accidental drownings within 10 years. We are delighted that the whole UK water safety sector has come together with a single campaign and message: “Respect the Water”: https://www.rospa.com/leisure-water-safety/water/advice/respectthewater and https://rnli.org/safety/respect-the-water

Unfortunately we are very short-staffed at this moment in time because key members of our team are still enjoying well-earned holidays.

We would be happy to contribute to future work by the Petitions Committee, along the lines that we believe drownings and rescue data should be used to inform risk assessments and decide where rescue equipment such as throw lines should be located. We believe that it would be impractical to try to provide throwlines at “every open water site in Wales” but these should be available at locations where there is a history of drownings and rescues. In addition, there should be public awareness campaigns through broadcast and social media at key times of year (before, for example, Spring heatwaves and Summer Bank Holidays).

Errol Taylor, CDir FIoD FRSPH

Chief Executive