On Thursday, July 7, the Lower House of Parliament passed two motions to continue funding the Strand Veilig program in the coming years. The motions followed an urgent appeal to politicians from the Dutch Rescue Association together with the National Swimming Safety Council and the KNRM.
The joint call was sent on June 21 to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The latter debated sports policy on June 29, where there was also room for discussion on the subject of safety in, on and along the water. This was followed by the two motions regarding the project The Beach Safe.
Recognition
It is now up to the government to make room in the 2023 budget for the cost of the The Beach Safe, which amount to 250,000 euros annually. Koen Breedveld, director of Rescue Brigade Netherlands, is pleased with the outcome: "The broad support in the Lower House for these motions is a wonderful recognition of our work and what we achieve within the The Beach Safe. We're not there yet, of course, but I assume that the government will now take responsibility and arrange funding for the program on a structural basis. This will finally make funds available nationwide to support brigades in what they do to increase safety in, on and along the sea. I am grateful to KNRM and the National Board for Swimming Safety for supporting our appeal, and look forward to giving this cooperation further substance in the coming years, in accordance with our multi-year policy plan."
For questions about this news item, please contact Koen Breedveld.