'Go home dry and be safe' - Organisations across West Mercia unite in bid to prevent further water tragedies
Residents have been urged to "stay away from the edge" of open water as organisations in West Mercia have united in a bid to prevent further tragedies.
Today, on World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25), agencies operating in the county and across the West Mercia region - Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire - have united to back the Home and Dry campaign.
The campaign encourages people to be aware of the dangers of water, and to develop and share educational resources to ensure that water safety is "embedded in people’s minds" from an early age.
Organisations and partners including West Mercia Police, the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Search and Rescue, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), RNLI and Severn Trent Water have thrown their weight behind the campaign.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service prevention officer for road and water safety Cathryn Williams said: "We're pleased to be working with our partners to spread such a pivotal lifesaving message. Unfortunately, we have seen some extremely tragic incidents where people have sadly lost their lives.
"Now the message is more important than ever, get yourself and your loved ones home safe by staying away from the edge and following our water safety tips and remembering 'Float to Live' if you get into trouble in the water - float on your back, tilt head back so ears are in the water, relax and control your breathing, move hands and legs to keep afloat - your legs may sink and that’s OK as everyone floats differently - practise ‘Finding Your Float’ at a supervised location like a swimming pool."
Shrewsbury's MP Julia Buckley recently said that she was "proud" of action taken in Shropshire's county town to reduce the number of river deaths.
Speaking during a debate on water safety education, Mrs Buckley told Parliament that the River Severn has been the scene of 14 deaths in the past 10 years.
Agencies came together in Ironbridge, Telford and Worcester today to re-launch the campaign.
The family of Tom Jones, who lost his life in the River Severn in Worcester in 2018, have called for residents and organisations to share water safety messages to prevent other families from experiencing what they have been through.
Tom’s mum, Vicki Jones said: "We sent Tom off to university with a list of dos and donts but one thing I didn’t say was stay away from the water. It didn’t enter my head that this would be an issue.
"When we lost Tom, your world falls apart. I can’t even describe how it feels. All I know is I never want another family to go through what we went through in those days, weeks, months. The days were really dark. It changes your life forever."
Sergeant Rob Seewoosaha, who supported the Jones family, said: "Please take note of this campaign and see the impact it has on families like the Jones’ and other families who lose someone to rivers, quarries, seas or any type of water. People don’t know what they’ve got until it’s gone.
"You don’t want it happening to you, it’s heart- wrenching. It affects us and it affects the whole community. We are here to save lives and when you can’t do that it’s really difficult to deal with. We take it home with us, but families have to carry it forever.
"Please be sensible. Water can be nasty. Go home, dry and be safe, Be with your mates. Try not be a hero."
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion added: "We are lucky to live in a such a beautiful area, with people wanting to naturally enjoy the varied waterways that we have. Whether that’s running or walking by them, enjoying nights out by them or swimming in them. Sadly, we know all too well the dangers that water can bring.
"I am proud to once again be working with partners, West Mercia Police, and fire services as we all have a responsibility to ensure that everyone gets home and dry."
Meanwhile, Mark Eccleston from the West Mercia Search and Rescue, whose volunteers serch for missing people, save lives in floods and respond to emergencies, said the organisation was "honoured" to support the campaign, and added that the promotion of water safety messages could help to save lives.
Senior visitor engagement lead at Severn Trent Water Donna Marshall said: "We welcome thousands of visitors to our sites every summer across the Midlands and have some unmanned reservoirs across the West Mercia area.
"We always urge people to stay out of the water to keep safe. It’s not just cold, it’s dangerous. Beneath the surface are strong currents and hidden hazards and machinery moving water."
