Northamptonshire marina staff given potentially lifesaving water safety training as part of fire service outreach

Marina staff in Northamptonshire have been given potentially lifesaving water safety training by the county’s fire service.

Firefighters and members of the prevention team at Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service (NFRS) have been rolling out ‘Waterside Responder’ training in conjunction with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

On Friday (January 14) NFRS attended Gayton Marina to deliver a session for marina staff.

Marina staff were taught how to quickly respond to someone being in trouble, including encouraging them to float on their back to try and fend off water shock. They were also taught the correct technique to cast a throw line out.

The training was welcomed by John Sadler, the assistant manager of Gayton Marina and one of the 11 members of staff who took part in the session.

He said: “The impact that just those couple of hours of initial training can have could be crucial in saving somebody’s life.

“We have a lot of people from all walks of life and from across the world visit the Marina, and for our staff to know that they will be able to act having had that training is absolutely fantastic, and it’s great for our customers as well that they know we can act when needed.

“The staff from Northants Fire were super friendly and very welcoming and we couldn’t ask for more, and we hope to have them back some time soon.”

‘Waterside Responder’ was originally trialled in the Tyne and Wear area, where five potential drowning victims were rescued between 2018 and 2020 as a result of the training delivered by firefighters.

It sees fire staff voluntarily engage with businesses near water and equip them with basic knowledge that would help them effectively respond to a person in the water prior to the arrival of firefighters.

Establishments such as bars and restaurants also receive free kit such as a throw line to help assist anyone in difficulty in the water.