Firefighters Make Robertsbridge River Rother Rescue

Crews from Battle, Hastings and Burwash have rescued a person who'd fallen 15 feet down a bank into the River Rother in East Sussex yesterday evening (March 31).

East Sussex Fire and Rescue said they were called to Robertsbridge at 7.07pm by a friend of the person who'd fallen.

The person reporting the fall then used an increasingly popular mobile phone app, "what3words", to give a location to rescuers.

Free to download and for consumers to use, it's a program that has allocated three English words to each 3m x 3m square in the world.

The telephone's internal GPS system reports its location to the app, which offers the three words which can be spoken or copied to emergency services.

According to firefighters, the app is proving particularly helpful in large open areas such as the Ashdown Forest or the heights of the South Downs.

Crews were soon able to use dry suits to wade out to the casualty who was promptly rescued before first aid was administered at the scene. 

The teams said they were grateful to the control-centre team who advised the person reporting the fall to download the app.

After the rescue, East Sussex Fire and Rescue gave a reminder of some rules for water safety, saying an intention to avoid water in open spaces does not necessarily mean a zero risk of drowning.

A spokesperson said:

"Every year on average around 400 lives are lost in the UK’s waters – more than one a day – and they’re not just confined to the beach and coast.

"People who enjoy running or walking near water remain a very high-risk group of accidental drowning.  

"Many coastal walking fatalities were alone at the time of the incident and runners are often distracted by their activity, which can result in not noticing the hazards.

"None of these drowning’s are inevitable – they simply don’t have to happen."

Safety Tips Near Open Water

• Try to always walk or run with a friend 
•  Always let someone know where you’re going.
• Don't assume just because you have walked or run a route many times before it is still safe. 
• Avoid walking or running near water in the dark
• Make sure your walk or run is appropriate for your fitness level even if you are just taking a leisurely stroll
• Consider joining a running or walking group
• Be aware and take notice of any warning signs
• When running or walking next to water, stay clear of the edges. Riverbanks and cliff edges may be unstable and give way - particularly after bad weather
• Wear appropriate footwear and clothing - even if you are just going to stretch your legs
• Take a fully charged mobile phone and check signal strength, know how to use it and who to call in an emergency (999 Fire or Coastguard depending on where you are)
• Look out for trip or slip hazards - pay attention to your footing
• Stick to proper pathways
• Don't walk or run next to water if levels are high
• Make sure you know exactly where you are - consider downloading the what3words app for a smartphone