Post by Fife Council

A project providing life-saving training and equipment to coastal businesses and residents to help prevent tragic drownings is paying dividends in Fife. More than 500 people have now been trained up in what to do in an emergency as part of the Waterside Responder Scheme in a bid to cut the number of incidents around the region’s rivers, waterways, harbours and beaches. Every year, around 400 people drown in the seas and inland waters of the UK, and many of these deaths could have been prevented if there had been quick response from someone who had the right training and equipment to help. With that in mind, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) devised the Water Responder Scheme to pass on basic skills and knowledge to hospitality staff, security staff and people living alongside waterways that would help them safely assist in the rescue of a person in water prior to the arrival of emergency services. Local water safety officer David Corstorphine picked up the mantle in the East Neuk, and staff at dozens of local businesses and five Fife leisure centres have now taken part in free training sessions. Participating businesses have been supplied with throw bags, which contain a 25-metre length of rope which can be thrown to a casualty in the water; training manuals and quick reference key cards, and participants thus far have praised the scheme for its clear instruction and reinforcing the importance of water safety awareness for everyone living and working near the coastline. Find out more about this fantastic initiative here: https://lnkd.in/eqDR65cH