Yorkshire Air Ambulance is urging the public to take extreme care around open water following a series of tragic incidents across the UK.
The urgent warning coincides with Drowning Prevention Week, an annual awareness campaign led by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). The drive follows reports that more than 17 people have lost their lives in open water incidents across the UK since the start of May alone.
So far this year, Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has already been activated to 14 open water-related emergencies across the region. Among these, crew members recently attended three of the fatal or critical incidents reported since May, responding to emergencies in Halifax, Burnsall, and Doncaster.
Dr Stuart Reid, Medical Director at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, is encouraging the public to fully understand the hidden hazards associated with open water before heading out into the countryside this summer.
“Yorkshire is home to some incredible rivers, reservoirs and beauty spots, but these environments can change quickly and present hidden hazards,” Dr Reid said. “One of the biggest dangers is that people often underestimate the risks. Even during periods of warm weather, the water is often much colder than people expect.
“Sadly, being a strong swimmer does not make you immune to these dangers.”
A primary concern for the air ambulance crews is cold water shock – a sudden, involuntary physiological response that triggers when a body is suddenly immersed in cold water.
Dr Reid explained: “When somebody unexpectedly enters cold water, the body can react instantly. The sudden temperature change can trigger an involuntary gasp reflex, rapid breathing and an increased heart rate. This can make it difficult to control your breathing, stay afloat or swim to safety.
“People often assume drowning only happens because someone cannot swim, but in reality, even experienced swimmers can find themselves in difficulty if they panic or are affected by cold water shock.”
To help reduce the number of preventable water emergencies this summer, Yorkshire Air Ambulance has issued a checklist of essential safety precautions:
- Never swim alone and always let somebody know your location.
- Never jump or dive into unfamiliar water due to hidden hazards beneath the surface.
- Check the water conditions, keeping in mind that temperatures remain dangerously cold even in hot weather.
- Avoid entering open water after consuming alcohol, which impairs judgment and worsens cold water shock.
- Learn the RNLI’s ‘Float to Live’ technique to survive initial cold water immersion.
- Carry a charged mobile phone and always know your location.
- If you see someone in difficulty, call 999 immediately and avoid entering the water yourself.
Emergency responders are also heavily encouraging the public to download the free What3Words app before heading outdoors. The technology assigns a unique three-word address to every three-metre square in the world, allowing air ambulance and land crews to pinpoint an exact location when every second counts.
As an independent charity, Yorkshire Air Ambulance receives no direct government funding and relies entirely on public generosity to maintain its life-saving operations. To learn more about water safety, the public can visit the RLSS UK and RNLI websites, or support the aviation charity directly at yaa.org.uk.
