Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service will be making a splash this month when they take part in Drowning Prevention Week 2018.

Drowning Prevention Week, created by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) and this year run in partnership with the RNLI and Swim England, will see a deluge of water safety activity flood the UK and Ireland from 15 – 25 June.

The national campaign aims to ensure everyone knows how to have fun and stay safe near water, and a host of free resources have been produced to help supporters promote water safety.

More than 700 people drown in the UK and Ireland every year and many more have near-drowning experiences, sometimes suffering life-changing injuries.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service says it is proud to play its part in trying to reduce this figure. Throughout the course of the week, firefighters and community safety advisors will be presenting an educational package to young people throughout the county.

Area Manager Ben Norman from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “It is so important to remind people to stay safe near water, especially at this high-risk time of year.

"Our crews are well aware of the dangers of open water following on from the tragic deaths of James Goodship, Miracle Godson and Dylan Ramsay in recent years.

"We are only too happy to be involved with Drowning Prevention Week.”

Di Steer, RLSS UK’s Chief Executive, said: “We urge as many people as possible to take advantage of the activities run by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, and learn what could be potentially lifesaving skills. We thank Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for getting involved with the campaign, and for helping people learn the skills they need to stay safe and enjoy the water”.

For more information on Drowning Prevention Week visit – rlss.org.uk and view the video here:L https://www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/category/incidents/