Calder Valley Search and Rescue recently joined colleagues from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, and local council representatives for a community Water Safety Awareness Event.

The aim of the day was to help children, young people and adults understand the dangers associated with reservoirs, rivers and other open water.

While it may not always be possible to prevent people from entering the water, raising awareness can help them make safer choices and respond appropriately if someone gets into difficulty.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service provided practical demonstrations explaining how reservoirs and water systems operate, as well as what to do in an emergency and who to call for help.

Our team delivered throwline demonstrations and displayed some of the specialist equipment and protective clothing used during water rescue incidents.

Children were able to explore the fire engines, try on rescue equipment and sit in one of our rescue sleds.

It was fantastic to see how quickly everyone learned the correct techniques, including how to use a throwline and what instructions to give once a person has taken hold of it. The children were particularly enthusiastic and did an excellent job while having plenty of fun along the way.

Thank you to everyone who attended and to all the organisations involved in making the day such a success.

Our next water safety event will be held at Shibden Park on 20th August, 12- 4pm, and will be open to everyone. Come along, meet the teams, see the equipment and learn more about staying safe around open water.

We look forward to seeing you there.