Rescue Articles 1

Improving Data For Water Related Emergencies

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Each year between 420 and 560 people drown in the UK with drowning being the fourth or fifth highest cause of accidental death for adults and the third highest for children. Although we think that the foot and mouth epidemic would have reduced exposure to inland water sites significantly, the last available figures for 2000, a total of 423, are the lowest for many years.

Compared with an average of 300 people per year who have drowned around the coast of Great Britain and Ireland between 1997 and 1999, an average of 270 people have drowned every year in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams and canals across Great Britain in the last 13 years.

Aiming to reduce the high death toll from inland drownings, the RNLI and RoSPA is currently addressing improving inland data and data collection through a jointly funded project. Phase 2 of INREM, a three-year research study, is a natural extension of the RNLI’s and RoSPA’s intelligence-gathering work, which will provide a central point of information relating to inland water incidents. The main objectives of creating a single picture of inland water incidents are to improve the analysis of causes and trends. The identification of problem areas will enable both the RNLI and RoSPA to progress the targeting and promotion of water safety campaigns aimed at educating people about inland waters.

The study examines the scope and feasibility of establishing an INREM database in 2003/2004. The pilot study sample completed earlier this year included almost 20 per cent of the emergency services and also included the relevant owners, operators, voluntary services, Government agencies and National Governing bodies.

By Peter Cornall - Head of Water and Leisure safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

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