The picture that shames Britain: As a man's body floats in three and a half feet of water, 25 999 workers stand and watch because they aren't 'trained' to go in water | Mail Online

The picture that shames Britain: As a man's body floats in three and a half feet of water, 25 999 workers stand and watch because they aren't 'trained' to go in water | Mail Online

The problem seems to be the stringent Health and Safety Laws and the manner in which many interpret them, for all of these cases. There was a recent one in Scotland, where a woman had fallen down, some10/12 feet, into an entry to an old mine or water channel. She died after laying down there for many hours. Plenty of rescue workers were on the scene, but were barred from climbing down on a rope to rescue her, as they had no mountaineering training!!!! They could communicate with her, but were not allowed to rescue her, despite volunteers. They were awaiting a specialist climbing unit. Ridiculous you may say, as in this water case in this article.

The problem is the consequences should a banned rescue go wrong!! Firemen would not be insured and therefore receive no compensation, should things go wrong. If a rescue is agreed, at a local level, then goes wrong, the Service may be sued by the injured or families of dead rescuers.

This is the nub of the problem. Only specialists are insured to do specialist work. The problem being, what is and what is not specialist. Insurance firms have drawn up provisos and officers just have to live with being pilloried because of them.