The
UK's first Drowning Prevention Strategy was launched 21st October
2015 at the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) conference in Durham.
Senior
leaders from RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), MCA
(Maritime and Coastguard Agency) and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat
Institution) met to launch the strategy, discussing how to work together to
bring the strategy to public focus. Key to water safety is respect and
understanding, both of these are outcomes of activity in and on the water.
Keirron
Tastagh, from local adventure sports centre Adventurous Experiences represented
the UK
Coasteering industry at the conference, in his position as secretary of
the
National Coasteering Charter (NCC), alongside the Chairperson Jethro Moore,
Pembrokeshire).
The
NCC is a poignant case study in the National Drowning Prevention Strategy
document, describing how an activity industry that had initially caused concern
for a national safety organisations, had worked with providers and the RNLI,
RoSPA, MCA and other lifesaving organisations to build a national framework of
good practice and guidance. The culmination is that members of the NCC are now
an established solution to the national drowning prevention strategy. They have
the skill-set to deliver the training directly to the community, experiencing and
understanding real risk on the UK's coastlines.
The
key message summarised at the strategy launch was:
Through
increased activity, we will have an impact on health, physical (obesity)
conditions, mental health, and drowning prevention.
Dave Walker (RoSPA) and Keirron Tastagh (NCC) at the strategy launch in Durham
Speaking about the event Keirron Tastagh said "What was greatly refreshing to hear is the approach is to get more people in the water, not preventing activity or increasing legislation."
The NCC committee has representatives from every
Coasteering region in the UK, (all of whom are current providers) who meet to discuss ideas, incidents and solutions, and then share this considered good practice back out to regions. Regions (such as the Isle of Man) host seminars before and after the peak coasteering season, where all current providers train together and share ideas.
Keirron went onto say "There are situations where Health and Safety has been misinterpreted, resulting in the loss of essential outdoor play by young people. The Isle of Man is well placed to make best use of its excellent opportunities to access water in a natural setting. With so much water around us, it is essential that people learn how to use it, and progressively build the transferable skill of real risk management."
Isle of Man outdoor providers attending their recent
regional NCC seminar on the island. (Left to right) John Keggin, Keirron
Tastagh, Matthew Read, Tom Bergan, Mike Read, Sarah Hickey, Kieran Stout, Simon
Read, lying down Joe Callister
