Hants and Isle of Wight firefighters train for water rescue

Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight we are never that far from a body of water — from The Solent — stretching between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, to the harbours surrounding Portsmouth and Hayling Island, as well as the Hamble, Itchen and Test rivers that make up our local geography.

Firefighters train in a river.

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death, with 35 accidental drownings recorded in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over the past five years.

As part of the role of a modern-day firefighter, its teams are prepared to tackle incidents beyond fires.

Spread across the four watches, 28 firefighters at Fareham Fire Station have been specially trained as water rescue technicians — part of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s swift water rescue capability.

The technicians are trained to perform swim rescues, wading rescues and setting up rope systems to effect rescues to paddle and tether small craft.

The team is equipped with a Water Rescue Unit, which carries a variety of associated equipment to allow for swift water rescues using boats, swimming and other rope/specialist techniques.

The Fareham team is also a national resource for DEFRA, providing a water rescue crew able to deploy to national incidents, such as wide area flooding.

At certain stations in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, crews are training to become water rescue first responders — supported through the HIWFRS fleet of response support vehicles to enter the water and perform rescues of people and animals in water, mud, ice or other unstable ground, whereever necessary.

For tips on how to stay safe around water, go to: hantsfire.gov.uk/safety/leisure-and-lifestyle/on-and-around-water/

Find out more about specialist water rescue response on the HIWFRS website: https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/about/services-and-facilities/specialist-response/water-rescue/