Urge to stay safe during Water Safety Week as temperatures soar

We’re urging people to stay safe around open water after a man was rescued from marshland.

Temperatures across Staffordshire are expected to rise to 30 degrees this week, which also happens to be Water Safety Week across the UK.

Open water might seem like a good way to cool off, but there are lots of hidden dangers including cold water shock, deceptively shallow water beds and strong currents.

Just last week we were called to marshland off Creswell Farm Drive, Stafford, at 7pm on Thursday (12 June) following reports of a man struggling in water.

Crews attended the scene but thankfully, the man had got out of the water before they got there.

Station Manager Jordan Money, who attended the scene, said: “This incident involved a man who had entered the water to rescue his dog, who had fallen in, but then he got into trouble himself.

“Thankfully, the man and dog managed to get out of the water safely before we arrived, but the outcome could have been very different.

“As the weather begins to warm up, we would like to remind people of the dangers of open water.

“The water is often a lot colder than you expect which can make it hard to move, there may be hidden currents and there is no way of knowing what hazards lie beneath the surface.

“I would also like to remind people of the benefits of the What 3 Words app, which gave us a precise location in this incident.

“Parents should take time to talk to their children about water safety so that they understand the risks, look out for their friends and know what to do in an emergency.”

If you fall into water by accident, follow our float to live advice as follows:

• Fight your instinct to thrash around
• Lean back, extend your arms and legs
• If you need to, gently move them around to help you float
• Float until you can control your breathing
• Only then, call for help, swim to safety or continue floating until help arrives

For more water safety advice, visit Water safety.