WIREDGOV

Helping to prevent drownings across Scotland will be the focus during the first meeting of a water safety group set up to prevent tragedies in the country.  

Scotland’s Water Safety Reference Group, established by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), will meet on Monday (August 18) to discuss the way forward and how best to improve water safety in Scotland.  

Hosted by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the event will take place at Perth Community Fire Station where the latest Scottish drowning fatality data will be discussed.  

Last year, there were a total of 56 drownings and water-related deaths in Scotland alone, according to data from the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF).  

A new water safety document entitled Water Safety Policy in Scotland - A Guide, which sets out key information to enable local authorities to create a localised water safety policy, will also be presented during the meeting.  

The event will be attended by about 15 local authorities as well as numerous other organisations including The Scottish Community Safety Network, Loch Awe Watch, The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Police Scotland.

Carlene McAvoy, RoSPA’s community safety development officer for Scotland, said: “Improving water safety will be the group’s main focus and through this meeting we hope to share our knowledge on areas of local best practice in order to improve water safety across Scotland.  

“It is a sad fact that a total of 56 people drowned in Scotland last year, and hundreds of people drown in the UK each year so ways that we can prevent tragedies will be at the top of our agenda.  

“Scotland’s Water Safety Reference Group was established to help reduce water-related deaths and educate people about the dangers of swimming in open water.”  

More details about the work of RoSPA’s leisure safety department can be found at www.rospa.com/leisuresafety/