Water safety stations installed across Cambridgeshire as weather warms up

Throwline stations are being installed at waterside locations across Cambridgeshire.

The lifesaving equipment is being installed in hotspots and high-risk sites - which are known locations for people going into water, or where incidents have happened in the past.

The 12 throwline stations are being installed this month - along the River Nene and in Whittlesey - to coincide with the weather warming up. And boards providing safety advice are being installed by Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service which is working in conjunction with Cambridgeshire Water Safety Partnership and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Station commander Kevin Andrews said: “We’re starting to see more and more people out and about enjoying the sunshine by open water. But, it’s really important that people are aware of the risks and the dangers of our rivers, canals and lakes.

“There can be many hidden dangers and even the strongest swimmers can find themselves in difficulty.

“We’d also encourage people to download the what3words app. It will help identify the precise location of an incident and direct fire crews to exactly where help is required, saving vital minutes.”

Around 400 people drown in the UK every year and thousands more suffer injury, some life changing, through near-drowning experiences.

The specially-designed equipment contains throwlines which are stored securely with an access code given to callers by 999 operators in the event of an emergency. The throwlines enable members of public to throw a line of rope, and pull someone to safety if they get into trouble in the water.