1. The purpose of this technical note is to advise Members of plans to hold a water safety launch event at the Marina in Kirkintilloch on Monday 20 June 2022. The launch event is being organised by the East Dunbartonshire Partnership Approach to Water Safety (ED PAWS) group that has recently been formed and is now working under Local Outcome 4 of the East Dunbartonshire Local Outcomes Improvement Plan 2017-2027 to deliver coordinated and improved water safety actions across our local communities in order to make them safer.
2. In recent years, water safety has gained increased focus both politically and publicly due to the release of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy 2018-26. Water safety is also particularly relevant in view of the recent spate of tragic water deaths across the country and because of some more localised water safety issues.
Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy, which was originally launched in 2018 and recently subject to interim review in March 2022, has two main targets:
- To reduce accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026 and reduce risk among the highest-risk populations, groups and communities.
- To contribute to the reduction of water-related suicide.
At the same time as the interim review was published, the Minister for Community also launched a Water Safety Action Plan which compliments and strengthens Scotland's Drowning Prevention Strategy.
3. The work being undertaken by the ED PAWS group aims to build upon existing good practices currently undertaken by partner agencies across the local authority area. It also seeks to allocate responsibilities in a clear framework that is agreeable to all of the agencies involved and formalises them into agreed actions that are subsequently reported into the community planning framework. This co-ordinated and proactive approach on a local basis will assist in the delivery of emergency response to, and education in the prevention of, water emergency incidents and is consistent with the targets of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy.
4. The local approach to water safety that is being developed requires commitment from all partners, allowing for joint and individual tasking of partnership resources to ensure that all water safety concerns are addressed and those agencies best placed to manage risk are kept informed of any changing or newly emerging hazards or trends. Where applicable this may also require the sharing of existing resources between partner agencies to meet the common goal of delivering improved water safety throughout East Dunbartonshire.
5. As a starting point for the on-going development of local water safety work by the ED PAWS group, the partners have now drafted and approved an ED PAWS Agreement for 2022. The agreed document outlines the approach to be taken over the next 12 months and seek to build upon identified good practice and partner co-operation. It is anticipated that the plan will be submitted to East Dunbartonshire partners for review and approval in May of each year to tie in with the publication of annual trend reports in relation to water safety. This annual review will keep the document current and reflect known risks, new practices and resource allocation.
6. In light of the 2022 ED PAWS Agreement being finalised the partners in the group have now organised a launch event in order to promote the document and highlight the local water safety work that is presently being carried out. The launch is scheduled to take place on Monday 20 June at 11am at the Marina in Kirkintilloch, in advance of the school summer holiday period and during the course of National Drowning Prevention Week. Plans for the launch include the delivery of waterside responder and CPR training. It also hoped that a number of local nursery and schoolchildren will be able to attend and take part in a range of interactive water safety activities.
Further information on the launch and the work of the ED PAWS Group is available from Evonne Bauer or from Clive Lewis, Community Protection Manager.