22128 - Water Rescue

Ref: FOI/22128

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST  

West Midlands Fire Service has now completed its search for the information requested on 10^th November 2022

Please find below a summary of our findings.

Request.

1. Does the service have a water rescue policy?

Reply

Yes

Request

 2. Does that policy include rescue operations in River Weirs?

Reply

Yes, this is captured within our policy framework of water rescue documents. 

Request

3. How many river weirs are there in the brigade area?

Reply

This information is exempt under section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as we do not hold this information. However, you may be able to obtain t this information from the Environment Agency

Request

4. Does the fire service have a map of Weirs locations?

Reply

No

Request

5. How many Weir rescues have been attended in the last 5 years?

Reply

One in a weir incident 2021,

Please note this is not an incident that would get recorded in incident workbooks, therefore manual searches had been carried out using the word “Weir”

Request

6. How many fatalities have there been as a result of River Weirs?

Reply

None

Request

7. Have there been any fatalities of or injuries to FRS personnel during weir rescues?

Reply

None

Request

8. What training do FRS personnel receive for water rescue? Does that training cover weir rescue?

Reply

Variation of training from Module 1 – Module 6 which captures rescues from weirs. 

Request

9. Do you have specific procedures for weir rescues?

Reply

All hydrology risks/hazards are captured within Module 2 & 3 water rescue training. 

Please find below a link to National Operational Guidance

https://www.ukfrs.com/guidance/water-rescue

Request

10. Do you have specific equipment for weir rescues?

Reply

We have a range of equipment for water rescue-type incidents. 

If you have any queries about this freedom of information request, please contact us.  Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

For service complaints, issues or comments regarding this request please contact The Public Relations Department, West Midlands Fire Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW

Further information concerning Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner website at either the following link: https://ico.org.uk/ or at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.