Be Water Aware
22nd – 28th April 2024
The National Fire Chiefs Council’s Be Water Aware campaign runs from 22nd – 28th April. Its aim is to raise awareness about the risk of accidental drowning and provide safety advice ahead of the warmer months when these incidents increase.
The latest statistics cover 2022 from the Water Incident Database reveal around 40% of people who accidentally drowned had no intention of entering the water. Slips, trips and falls were often the cause of these accidents.
Many people also underestimate the dangers of jumping into water or taking a dip to cool off especially those with limited experience of outdoor swimming. Unseen hazards and cold water shock can mean even strong swimmers get into trouble.
The campaign shares potentially lifesaving Float to Live advice if you find yourself in trouble in the water.
And advice on what to do if you see someone in trouble in the water.
Resources and a toolkit to support the week can be found at the bottom of this page with additional information on the Respect the Water website.
The awareness week is part of the work NFCC undertake throughout the year to reduce these preventable deaths and messaging supports the aims and objectives of the UK National Drowning Prevention Strategy and that of other member organisations of the National Water Safety Forum. The campaign support the the NWSF Respect the Water campaign and joint, national member campaign. By aligning our messaging and supporting a calendar of campaigns, we aim to reduce the number of accidental drownings in the UK.
