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National Drowning Prevention Strategy examined

5 December 2016

The Transport Committee scrutinises the structure and coordination of organisations that work to prevent and respond to emergency incidents around the coastline, including the implications of recent reorganisations of the Coastguard and Search and Rescue helicopter services, and integration with the traditional land-based emergency services.

Witnesses

Monday 5 December 2016, Grimond Room, Portcullis House

At 4.35pm

  • Dawn Whittaker, Lead Officer for Drowning Prevention and Water Safety, Chief Fire Officers Association
  • Sir Alan Massey KCB CBE, Chief Executive, Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • George Rawlinson, Chair, National Water Safety Forum
  • Peter Dawes, Lifesaving Services Manager, Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  • David Walker, Leisure Safety Manager, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

Purpose of the session

The session considers issues around beach safety, and the responsibilities of beach owners and managers, in the light of a spate of tragic accidents at a number of locations in summer 2016.

There are also broader questions about implementation of the UK's first National Drowning Prevention Strategy, which was launched in February 2016 and is supported by a range of organisations, including the Department for Transport.

Further information

Image: iStockphoto