Village Water Safety Training

Thankyou to all who came down to the Village Water Safety Training Session, hosted yesterday by CityCo. 

Local Neighbourhood Officers, PC 09091 Hunt and PC 09074 Macreath were in attendance along with PC 16579 Hussain from the Town Hall Licensing Team. Officers were joined by colleagues from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) who delivered a joint presentation, advocating for awareness and safety in and around bodies of water. 

Did you know that in 2025, more fatalities were found to have occurred in bodies of water as a result of drowning, rather than as a consequence of fires? This statistic whilst staggering, is highly representative of the dangers that such bodies of water can pose particularly in and around the Night Time Economy.  The slogan #DontDrinkAndDrown was profound in demonstrating how alcohol consumption can turn disastrous should the right preventative measures not be implemented and safety protocols executed. 

Those in attendance as such, were taught how to deploy perry lines and utilise the new and innovative Extendable Perry Pole, both of which are readily accessible on Canal Street should they be required. These pieces of equipment are vital, and are too often either not used correctly or forgotten about completely, but can be the difference between life and death. 

Throughout the day, one key message was re affirmed - CALL FIRE NOT POLICE. 

Whilst us officers will turn out to such incidents, we are not best equipped to deal with them initially. GMFRS are specially trained and kitted out specifically for water rescue and even though we can and will assist where possible, they are the ones for the job. 

So, in the event that you see somebody enter a body of water:

CALL 999

ASK FOR FIRE 

Dispatchers will advise you on the next steps

In the Village, local bars and clubs will be on hand to support you and provide you with specialist equipment. 

Stay Safe and Have Fun - together we can keep the village vibrant whilst ensuring it remains safe for all!

PC 09074 Michaela Macreath