Reminder of the dangers posed by open water after teenager rescued at Chasewater Country Park

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service wishes to remind people of the dangers posed by open water after a 16-year-old girl had to be rescued from the lake at Chasewater Country Park today (Thursday 20 May).

We were called to the park, near Chasetown and Burntwood, at about 6.20am to rescue the teenager, who was stuck on a raft after going out on the water to watch the sun rise.

A crew from Cannock and the Tamworth Water Rescue team – as well as a pump from West Midlands Fire Service - were deployed to The Chase Sailing Club, next to the lake, as the stranded girl said she could see the building from where she was. She was speaking to West Midlands Police by telephone.

The crews had located her position on the water by 6.40am. They waded out to the girl, who was about five meters out from the shore, and got her back to safety.

She then received treatment from West Midlands Ambulance Service as she was suffering from the cold.

Station Manager Rob Horton from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, who oversaw the incident, said: “The girl had maybe been out there for an hour to an hour-and-a-half. If she hadn’t been carrying her mobile phone, or she had gotten the phone wet, there’s no way she could have called for help and she could have been stuck out there for some time.

“We urge all Staffordshire residents to please take care around bodies of open water and recognise the dangers they pose. This girl could have walked past the lake regularly and looked at it and not recognised the dangers.

“Don’t put yourself in danger. If you are going to be undertaking activities on water please dress appropriately for the conditions. It wasn’t particularly cold yesterday but it can be, especially when a breeze is blowing across water.

“If you do travel to near open water, and you are on your own, please let somebody know where you are going. If they are then concerned because you haven’t returned or aren’t returning calls and messages they can alert the emergency services on your behalf.

“Staffordshire has some stunning areas of natural beauty and we want all our residents to enjoy them – but to enjoy them safely and responsibly for their own sake as well as everyone else’s.”