New system will hopefully see a reduction in accidental drowning deaths in Falkirk and beyond

Drowning tragedies are still an all-too often occurrence – 14-year-old Bo’ness schoolgirl Nieve McIsaac died after she got into trouble in the River Teith, in Bridge of Allan on July 12 last year.

Now the Drowning and Incident Review (DIR) has been created by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and The Royal Society for the Prevention of

Accidents (RoSPA), in partnership with Water Safety Scotland (WSS), looking to reduce accidental drowning deaths by 50 per cent by 2026 and lessen the risk among

the highest risk populations, groups and communities.

Until now, the circumstances in many water-related fatalities have been unknown and the risk factors are unclear. On average, 96 people lose their lives due to a

water-related fatality each year in Scotland.

The principal aim of the DIR is to gather all relevant data and information in order to systematically review each accidental water-related incident with a view to prevent

a future occurrence. The review has been piloted extensively and evaluated with a recent publication in BMJ Injury Prevention.

The benefits of DIR are anticipated at both local and national level in Scotland. It will provide insight into water-based risks by local area, ensuring that those best

placed to mitigate these risks are involved in the process and kept informed. Nationally, the enhanced data capture is anticipated to lead to the development of better-

informed national strategies to tackle the issue of drowning prevention.

Carlene McAvoy, RoSPA leisure safety manager, said: “DIR has been specifically created for Scotland and is one of the first of its type in the world. It will be used as

an important tool in Scotland to enable learning from incidents and mitigate the risk of future incidents. This supports the overarching aim of Scotland’s Drowning

Prevention Strategy, to reduce accidental drownings by 50 per cent by 2026.”

James Sullivan, SFRS station commander and chairman of Water Safety Scotland, added: “DIR provides a clear and consistent format for partners to review water

related incidents and gain an understanding of contributory factors. This enhanced knowledge will enable a focused approach to be taken on preventative measures

both locally and nationally throughout Scotland.”