On Sunday 28th April, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) will be hosting a free partnership event on the River Tyne in Newcastle to help raise awareness of drowning prevention.

The event is part of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s campaign, Be Water Aware, which runs from 22nd until 28th April.

Be Water Aware aims to help raise crucial awareness about the risks of accidental drowning and to provide safety advice ahead of the warmer months when these incidents tend to increase.

Nationwide figures revealed that 40% of people who accidentally drowned in the UK had no intention of entering the water, with slips, trips and falls being the main cause of these accidents (figures provided by the Water Incident Database 2022 – 2023).

TWFRS will be joined on the banks of the Tyne by representatives from partner organisations, including the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS), Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade and Tyneside and Northumberland Mind – who will all have stalls to share education, advice and guidance about water safety.

There will be live demonstrations, including a fireboat river rescue, displays from the fire cadets and the chance to see a fire engine and its rescue equipment up close, which is always a big hit with young aspiring firefighters.

Also in attendance will be parents talking about their own family experiences of drowning, where it resulted in tragic circumstances or a near-death incident.  The three North-East fathers on-hand to share their stories are Dave Irwin, Nick Pope and Simon Chrisp.

Dave Irwin, is a retired fire fighter with TWFRS, who lost his son Ross, aged 22 in 2016, when he drowned in the River Wear at Fatfield, Washington, following a night out with friends.

In 2018, Nick Pope’s son Charlie aged 19 drowned after losing his footing and falling into the water after a night out in Manchester.  Charlie was studying in the city, and he was walking back to his halls of residence when the tragedy happened.

Simon Chrisp witnessed his son Evan being pulled out to sea by a rip current and he feared for his son’s life.  But knowledge from an RNLI water safety campaign helped to save Evan’s life – who was also successfully rescued by the RNLI.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Stewart Nicholson, who is taking part in the river rescue, said: “We are proud to be supporting the NFCC’s latest campaign by helping to raise awareness about the risks of accidental drowning.

“Our prevention and education team regularly deliver water safety advice to schools, community groups and businesses where talking about the importance of staying safe around water is paramount.

“We hope that people from across the region join us and our partners in Newcastle to watch the demonstrations, talk to the experts and pick up some essential water safety tips.”

One of the topics covered that this year’s event is the dangers of cold water shock – the body’s natural reaction to being unexpectedly immersed in cold water. The response is immediate and can ultimately lead to drowning.

People are advised not to panic and try to float on their backs until they can take control of their breathing.

The danger of trying to swim when experiencing cold water shock means the individual is likely to breathe in a lot of water, which can lead to drowning.

Dawn Whittaker, National Fire Chiefs Council’s Lead for Water Safety and Drowning Prevention, said:  “NFCC are grateful to our colleagues at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for organising this fantastic event. We encourage people to come along and find out how they can Be Water Aware and stay safe when spending time in and around water.”

The free family-friendly event starts at 11am until 3pm at Newcastle, Quayside. The fireboat rescue demonstration is expected to take place at 11:30am.

For further information about Be Water Aware, please visit the NFCC website.