Young people from across Tyne and Wear have helped Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service create a series of British Sign Language (BSL) water safety videos aimed at making potentially life-saving information more accessible to people from the region’s Deaf Community.
The videos are being launched to coincide with World Drowning Prevention Day this coming Saturday (25 July), which raises awareness of drowning prevention and promotes life-saving water safety advice worldwide. This year’s theme is ‘Unite to turn the tide’.
The young people, aged between 13 and 21 years old, who played a key role in developing and presenting the water safety videos are from Northern Counties School, part of North East disability charity the Percy Hedley Foundation in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The student-signed BSL videos share vital safety messages that could help save lives.
The videos cover:
- How to use the RNLI’s Float to Live technique.
- Understanding beach safety flags.
- Essential water safety advice.
- The dangers of peer pressure around water.
- How to contact the emergency services in an emergency.
The scenes were captured at different locations across the region including Ouseburn, Exhibition Park, and the banks of the River Tyne (Newcastle), and Tynemouth Beach and Cullercoats Bay (North Tyneside).
The project began following a Show and Tell event at Gosforth Community Fire Station, where TWFRS Water Safety Lead Tommy Richardson met staff from the Percy Hedley Foundation. Discussions about improving accessibility led to the development of the BSL water safety videos and several educational visits to the Foundation.
Tommy Richardson, Water Safety Lead, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), said:
“I have learnt so much from making these BSL videos with the Percy Hedley Foundation. Everyone deserves access to potentially life-saving advice, and we’re proud to have worked with these talented young people to help deliver those messages in a new and engaging way.
“We all had great fun and at the same time recognised the importance of helping people stay safe around water especially as so many of us take this knowledge for granted.
“Working alongside the students from the Percy Hedley Foundation has been a fantastic experience. Together we have created resources that make important water safety information more accessible to people from the region’s Deaf Community.“
Steve Thomas, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), Head of Prevention and Education, said:
“We would like to sincerely thank the Percy Hedley Foundation and their amazing students from Northern Counties School for their invaluable support in helping us educate the Deaf Community on water safety. This project has been a huge success.
“The students have not only empowered our Service with knowledge, confidence, and insight, but have also helped ensure this work will make a lasting, positive impact on the wider community.”
Gemma Wallis, senior leader at Northern Counties School added:
“Working with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service over the last few months, learning about water safety and filming the BSL videos has been a fantastic experience.
“The skills the students have acquired as a result of this are brilliant and will provide them with skills for life.
“The students involved have been a credit to Northern Counties School and the Percy Hedley Foundation in promoting such important safety messages through BSL.”
As temperatures continue to rise and more people spend time near water this summer, TWFRS is encouraging everyone to learn basic water safety advice and share these important messages with family and friends.
Please stay safe around water this Summer.
About the Author
Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service serves a resident population of 1.104 million divided amongst the five constituent councils of Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland in the North East of England.
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