Dave Thompson MSP

The actions of volunteers and rescue personnel who risk their own safety to save those trapped by water has been highlighted by Highlands and Islands MSP Dave Thompson.

During a debate to welcome the publication of a report on the vital service, Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands, praised the actions of volunteers and rescue personnel who save those trapped by water.

Mr Thompson also welcomed the inclusion of an amendment to bolster the provision of training and equipment for staff expected to operate in this area.

The motion moved by Fergus Ewing, acting in his position as minister for community safety, sought to secure the parliament's approval of a report prepared by Paddy Tomkins, Her Majesty's former Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland.

Mr Tomkins' "Independent Review of Open Water and Flood Rescue in Scotland" made a series of recommendations for action, including the compilation of a national register of incidents in this environment, the requirement for each Fire and rescue Service to compile a register of all equipment available to personnel when dealing with this type of operation and a major public education exercise to highlight the dangers present in areas of water.

Speaking during the debate last week, Mr Thompson highlighted the increasing number of flooding incidents seen in this country and warned this was a trend likely to continue with the changing climate.

He recalled the hardship faced by constituents in Dingwall and other areas in recent years when these areas were affected by flooding and welcomed the proposal from Labour to include an amendment to enshrine the need for adequate equipment and training to be made available for rescuers.

"I am pleased that the Minister has accepted the Labour amendment as this is an issue I have recently written to the Highland Fire and Rescue Service about as I firmly believe that adequate equipment and training are essential for the safety of Fire and Rescue Service personnel," he told the chamber.

He added: "Each time such an incident happens, the emergency services are summoned to the area to offer assistance and, in addition to their role in helping to evacuate people trapped in homes by rising waters and rushing torrents, the team behind this must also assist medics, gas engineers, electricians and other emergency personnel to reach the place where they are needed to mitigate the effects of the flood water.

"We are told that such incidents will become increasingly common as climate change brings more extreme weather to our shores and causes sea levels to rise higher than seen within living memory. Therefore it is vital that the country has enough people properly trained and equipped to safely offer assistance to those who need their aid, whether that is in one of the country’s 27,000 lochs or 120,000 miles of rivers and streams, which together make up 90 per cent of Britain’s total volume of fresh water."

Note:

The motion passed was:

S3M-05573 Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (Scottish National Party): Scotland's Water Rescue Review—
That the Parliament welcomes the findings of Paddy Tomkins’ Independent Review of Open Water and Flood Rescue in Scotland, which examined the arrangements and protocols for inland water rescue in Scotland, and believes that the report’s recommendations should be carefully considered and acted on in order to strengthen multi-agency arrangements and ensure that an effective and proportionate response capability exists across Scotland.

Which, with the inclusion of the Labour amendment, was:

That the Parliament welcomes the findings of Paddy Tomkins’ Independent Review of Open Water and Flood Rescue in Scotland, which examined the arrangements and protocols for inland water rescue in Scotland, and believes that the report’s recommendations should be carefully considered and acted on in order to strengthen multi-agency arrangements and ensure that an effective and proportionate response capability exists across Scotland that includes adequate equipment and training being made available to staff required to attend water and flood incidents.