Water Safety
Water safety campaign
Our summer water safety campaign warns young people about the dangers of open water, as well as offering advice on what to do if you get into trouble in the water (float to live), and what you should do if you see someone else in difficulty in the water (call, tell, throw).
The campaign comes as figures reveal that 193 people accidentally drowned in open water in the UK last year (2024).
In the last five years (January 2020 to December 2024) GMFRS firefighters have been called to 57 fatal water incidents, resulting in 58 deaths. Sadly, a number of those who drowned were young people who got into difficulty after jumping into or swimming in open water across Greater Manchester.
We continue to work with the families and friends who have lost loved ones due to accidental drownings, sharing their stories.
Key messages
The campaign key messages warn people of the dangers of open water but also educate them on what to do if they get into difficulty, or see someone else in trouble, in the water. These are:
- 193 people accidentally drowned in the UK in 2024. Don’t become a statistic, stay safe around water.
- Jumping into open water can be fatal. Cold water shock kills and you don’t know what’s lurking beneath the surface.
- If you encourage your mates to go in the water, it could be the last time you see them.
- Respect the water - if you get into difficulty in the water, float to live (external website).
- Respect the water - if you see someone in difficulty in the water remember ‘call, tell, throw’ (call 999 and ask for fire if inland or the coastguard if by the sea, tell the struggling person to try to float on their back and throw them something that floats).
How can you support the campaign?
You can help support the campaign by following our social media channels and sharing messages: @manchesterfire on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Social media
Use the social media toolkit (DOCX, 3.2MB)
Download social media graphics (ZIP, 5.42MB)
Download social media MP4s (coming soon)
Water safety leaflet and poster
Download the 'dying for a dip?' leaflet (PDF, 2.89MB)
Download the 'dying for a dip?' poster (PDF, 2.51 MB)
Other campaigns
This year’s targeted water safety campaign will run alongside Safe4Summer partnership campaign in Greater Manchester – which includes water safety in more broader terms and advises people about the dangers of open water.
Download resources and find out more about Royal Life Saving Society's (RLSS) Drowning Prevention Week (external website), which runs from 14 to 21 June 2025.
Find out more about Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Respect the Water campaign (external website), which includes information on what you should do if you get into difficulty in water.