It was only a few months ago that 2 Police Community Support Officers were berated, both in the press and even by Members of Parliament on the TV, for not going in to a pond to search for a drowned child.
It appears, as Tonka says, that you are damned if you do and damned if you don't!!
The only answer is to put all health and safety reps out on a cliff face, lock all the rescue equipment away, and don't let them back to work until they have begged to be rescued by someone like Paul Waugh!
It is always easy to make difficult decisions from the safety of a warm office.
Thats my thoughts for what they are worth.
TeeS