Fire service issues Easter holiday water safety warning

Although the flooding recently seen across the county has now receded and river levels are slowly starting to return to normal, the Environment Agency currently has ‘yellow’ warnings in place at key points throughout the River Thames.
The warnings advise users of all unpowered boats not to navigate and users of powered boats to navigate with caution.
Station commander at Caversham Road fire station where RBFRS’ Water Rescue Unit is based, Jess James, said: “Although river levels are reducing gradually, in many areas they are still higher and faster flowing than usual for this time of year.
“We attend numerous water rescue incidents each year, many of which could be avoided simply by people taking a bit more care.
“The last thing we want to do is to stop people enjoying themselves on the water - but we do want them to do so safely.”
He added: “If you are thinking about taking a boat out on the river, please pay close attention to the water and weather conditions, as well as the Environment Agency’s warning signs – they are there for a reason.
“The Environment Agency also has lots of really useful advice about water safety on their website, which we thoroughly recommend people have a look at in advance to make sure they get the most up to date information.”