Register promotion at SPATEX
Andy Slater- 10 months ago
SPATEX 2024 is helping to promote a collaboration between the Royal Life Saving Society UK and GoodSAM to launch a new online Water Rescue Equipment Register that can help save lives and make communities safer.
Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) representatives will be utilising their SPATEX platform, from February 6 to 8 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, to highlight the new register that has been proclaimed as ‘a game-changer for open water rescue’ following its official launch in December at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2023 in Perth, Western Australia.
The Water Rescue Equipment Register has been incorporated into the GoodSAM app and members of the public can plot Public Rescue Equipment (PRE), including Perry Buoys, rescue poles, and throw lines along their local rivers, canals, waterways and coast anywhere in the world.
Once the equipment has been registered and verified, a map gets populated with the details of the precise location, type of equipment and any unique or distinguishing details. It is then used by the emergency services or first responders in the case of an emergency incident, reducing precious time wasted locating lifesaving rescue equipment and providing a higher chance of a successful outcome to the rescue.
As the UK and Ireland’s leading provider of lifesaving and lifeguarding training, qualifications and awards, Worcester-based RLSS UK is well-positioned to collaborate with GoodSAM on the Water Rescue Equipment Register and the lifesaving map. The RLSS UK’s role will be instrumental in providing instructions on how to use the equipment, liaising with landowners and local authorities if water rescue equipment is missing or damaged, promoting the app, and encouraging RLSS UK members, volunteers, supporters and candidates to help populate the map.
GoodSAM was launched in 2013 and founded by Professor Mark Wilson and Ali Ghorbangholi to change the response to cardiac arrest radically. It is an app-based system that alerts registered individuals trained in lifesaving skills to the occurrences of incidents in their locality so that they can attend while an ambulance is travelling to the location.
Today, on average, a trained responder is deployed every three minutes to a cardiac arrest, and the app is also home to the world’s largest defibrillator registry. Now, the application is helping to plot more lifesaving equipment, including bleed kits, fire equipment, and water rescue equipment.
“This map is a game-changer for open water rescue;” declared RLSS UK Senior Head of Commercial Projects & Partnerships Nick Grazier.
“Not only does it support the emergency services and GoodSAM responders to assist in the case of an emergency, but with the opportunity for app users to report damaged or broken water rescue equipment, we can work with landowners and local authorities to ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose and rescue – ready.
“You don’t need to have an account to register water safety equipment, so we would urge everyone to register water rescue equipment near them, as this provides the best chance of saving lives.
“Anybody with a RLSS UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), First Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid at Work qualification can also register with GoodSAM, and join the 1 million users in the UK who have already become a GoodSAM responder who are alerted if there is an emergency incident near them.”
RLSS UK Commercial Director Jo Talbot added: “We are incredibly proud to partner with GoodSAM and add to the vital work already achieved by the army of volunteers contributing worldwide.
“This type of project has been a desire for the charity for a long time, and it is so rewarding that it is coming to fruition.”
Professor Mark Wilson from GoodSAM said, “We are delighted for RLSS UK to be collaborating with us on the water rescue equipment map.
“They have been at the forefront of lifeguard training, lifesaving and water safety education for a very long time and by working together, we can build on the excellent work that they already do and make rivers, lakes and bodies of open water even safer for all.
“The Water Rescue Equipment Registry is available now in the GoodSAM app and I look forward to Perry Buoy icons appearing worldwide on the Water Rescue Equipment – Life Saving Map.”
Further details about the Water Rescue Equipment Registry can be obtained from The Royal Life Saving Society UK representatives during SPATEX on Stand H21.
On the first day of SPATEX 2024, RLSS UK Commercial Director Jo Talbot will be joining Richard Lamburn from SwimEngland as part of the SPATEX Seminars schedule to discuss ‘Operating Pop-up Pools’, on Tuesday, February 6, from 2:45pm to 3:15pm in Arena 2. During the second day of SPATEX, Jo is also scheduled to host a SPATEX Seminar on ‘Technology in Swimming Pools – An Extra Layer of Safety’ in Arena 2, on Wednesday, February 7, from 12:45pm to 1:15pm.
Details about the seminars running throughout the three days of SPATEX 2024 can be found at: www.spatex.co.uk/workshops-seminars
