Abberton Reservoir visitors receive water and road safety advice
Firefighters and Prevention officers from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service delivered water and road safety advice at Abberton Reservoir as part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week.
Two ongoing issues at the 1,700-acre reservoir are people swimming in the water and cars racing on the causeway, along Wigborough Road.
Lisa Mitson, Community Safety Officer, arranged a day of action at the site yesterday (22 July) to give safety advice to visitors.
She said: "It was a great opportunity for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service to work with Essex and Suffolk Water, which operates the reservoir, especially as the schools have broken up and the weather was warm and sunny."
Lisa was joined by Steve Green, Community Safety Officer, Kate Doyle, Education Team, Dan Bailey, Road Traffic Collision Reduction Team and Rural Policing PCSO Gary Woolford.
Colchester’s Blue Watch attended with their rescue boat and an appliance. Colchester firefighters rescued a man from the reservoir last July after he got into difficulty in the water.
Nick Trice, an On-call Firefighter at Maldon and water supply manager for Essex and Suffolk Water, also attended.
He said: "We had a rescue last year and a fatality six years ago, so the risk to life if you enter the water is very real.
"You will get cold water shock, hidden structures could cause you an injury and weeds could cause you to get trapped.
"There were a number of tragic incidents across England last weekend caused by people swimming in lakes and rivers - don’t take the risk."
Essex and Suffolk Water manages the reservoir and Essex Wildlife Trust has a nature reserve on part of the site.
The work is part of the national Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week - Making Communities Safer campaign, which started on Monday and runs until Sunday 25 July.
The campaign encourages communities to take a stand against Anti-Social Behaviour and highlight the options available to those facing it.
Page last updated 23 July, 2021