Monthly Archives: December 2022

People warned of dangers of playing near frozen lakes and ponds

Following recent tragedies in the West Midlands, ERYC have provided the information below to help inform residents of the dangers of playing on or near frozen water.

Royal Life Saving Society UK offer simple steps to keep safe during the winter:

  • Never go onto the ice to play, to retrieve an object, or a pet
  • Never enter the ice to rescue somebody, call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service

What to do if you fall through the ice:

  • Keep calm and shout for ‘help’
  • Spread your arms across the surface of the ice in front of you
  • If the ice is strong enough, kick your legs to slide onto the ice
  • Lie flat and pull yourself towards the bank
  • If the ice breaks, work your way to the bank-breaking the ice in front of you anyway
  • If you cannot climb out, wait for help and keep as still as possible. Preserve heat by pressing your arms by your side and keep your legs together. Keep your head clear of the water
  • Once you are safe, go to hospital immediately for a check up

What to do if you see someone fall through the ice:

  • Shout for assistance and phone the emergency services – call 999 or 112
  • Do not walk or climb onto the ice to attempt a rescue
  • Shout to the casualty to ‘keep still’ and offer reassurance to keep them calm
  • Try and reach them from the bank using a rope, pole, tree branch, clothing tied together or anything else which can extend your reach
  • When reaching from the bank, lie down to avoid being pulled onto the ice
  • If you cannot reach them, slide something which floats, such as a plastic bottle or football, across the ice for them to hold onto to stay afloat whilst help is on the way
  • If the casualty is too far away, do not attempt to rescue them. Wait for the emergency services while calming and reassuring the casualty.

Further advice and resources are available at:

Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), Winter Water Safety | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )

Yorkshire Water Yorkshire Water – Water Safety

ERYC – Help for Households Campaign

In response to the cost of living crisis, ERYC have recently launched a corporate campaign to draw all available help, advice and support together into one easily-accessible package for residents.

‘Help for Households’ is now gathering pace and you will soon see a comprehensive programme of communication activity running across the whole of the East Riding with a particular emphasis on the areas, groups and individuals most in need of help.

The help, advice and support offered includes:

  • a wide range of council support available to residents
  • government support
  • support provided by others including local charities, community partnerships and voluntary sector organisations.

Signposting to these many sources of advice, help and support is now made easy for residents through a one stop dedicated website.

For businesses, a summary of help, advice and support is also now available through a similar dedicated webpage.

This campaign is a whole council and community effort with officers working together across a huge range of ERYC services as well as with  local, regional and national partners to enable residents to access help, advice and support.

The Help for Households toolkit provides an easy-to-read summary of support, help and advice currently available, together with a broad range of promotional materials for use to help to spread the word as far and wide across the East Riding as possible.

Help for Households Toolkit.pdf (govdelivery.com)