A view across sand and out beyond a harbour wall to the open sea, showing a silhouette of the lifeboat leaving the harbour. The RNLI launching tractor and shore crew are at the water’s edge, seeing them off.

Pieces of a puzzle: A special 18:24 rescue

Photo: RNLI/North Berwick

Wednesday 26 March 2025

The call came at 6.18pm and at 6.24pm (18:24) on 1 August 2024 (1.8.24). North Berwick RNLI were powering around the harbour wall with no time to spare. A man with a broken leg was in the water, on an incoming tide. Helm Rhona Meikle continues.

Moments before the alert, we’d been gathered on our slipway across the road from the lifeboat station, getting organised for our One Moment One Crew photo. We’d brought our inshore lifeboat Sunijo down onto the slipway for a group photo and members of the North Berwick RNLI family – fundraisers, shop volunteers and crew – had rallied for the celebrations, bringing sandwiches, cakes and drinks along for the celebrations.

Suddenly our pagers were going off all around us and we looked at each other. I turned to our Lifeboat Operations Manager Ricky Martin and said: 'Have you arranged this?!'. 'Nothing to do with me!' he responded. So we leaped into action.

What was One Moment, One Crew?

To commemorate the RNLI being founded in 1824, all volunteers and staff members were invited to take a photo on 1 August 2024 (1.8.24), as close to 18:24 as was manageable, and to upload the image to a special One Moment One Crew website. For some, the photo was a selfie, for others it was a gathering of RNLI people in a special location.

View the gallery

Three crew are afloat on an orange RNLI inshore lifeboat with the open sea in the background. They are making their way to the scene of a rescue so are discussing a plan of action. — A helm’s role is to safely and calmly manage the rescue from the inshore lifeboat

Taking charge

Being one of the helms on station, I took charge, choosing experienced Crew Member Sarah Coutts and newer Crew Member Vikki Selby to join me on the lifeboat. As the person in charge, I’m making a quick calculation of the best crew to take – a combination of experienced and newer crew works well to support newer lifesavers in gaining experience. If it’s a known first aid shout, we need someone trained in casualty care.

We ran into the crew room to get changed into our kit. On our way in, I was looking out for a fourth crew member with casualty care experience when Helm Matt Gibbons came around the corner. He quickly joined us and we launched at 6.23pm, leaving the protection of the harbour at 6.24pm (18:24). It was a very quick launch, with the lifeboat already across the road on the slipway and the crew already on station.

It wasn’t a difficult or long journey to reach the casualty but, even with 27 years on the crew, I still get that adrenaline dump with my heart beating faster as I assess and make a plan. As helm, you’re thinking about things like getting everyone there safely, what they might see and whether you need to prepare them, whether the casualty is likely to be in the same place they were first reported to be.

We went all the way along the beach looking for signs of the casualty. Then we rounded the point and saw him.

A helmet camera view from near the bow of the inshore lifeboat towards a sandy beach framed by low-lying rocks. Three crew members wade through shallow water towards a casualty who can be seen sitting at the water’s edge. — The North Berwick crew locate the casualty at the water’s edge

Help from friends

Two people had gone for a picnic on the rocks to enjoy the long summer’s evening when they’d decided to go in for a swim. One of them had jumped from the rocks, not realising the water wasn’t deep enough to jump into. The other person entered the water to help while a passerby called 999 then entered to assist. When we arrived, they were both doing their best to stabilise the casualty at the water’s edge.

Vikki stayed in the boat and I sent Sarah and Matt ashore to assess the casualty. The casualty was sitting with his injured leg crossed over the other and they could see immediately that he had at least two breaks – on his tibia and fibula. They set about their casualty care work, checking his vital signs. He was apologetic and quite calm, despite being in pain. It’s so easy to make mistakes at the coast and we’re there as volunteers to help people who need it – we don’t judge them, we just want to ensure they’re safe, make them more comfortable and get them away to hospital if they need it.

A helmet camera view from a sandy beach up over low-lying rocks. A helicopter can be seen approaching in the distance — The Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance helicopter comes in to land

Helicopter rescue

As Sarah and Matt were working on the casualty, the Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance helicopter arrived on scene. I linked in with its crew as they landed on a nearby rocky area and we handed over to its paramedics. The moment paramedics arrive to a rescue, we’re guided by them and they will either ask us to continue assisting, or take over as we stand down.

On this occasion, we were asked to help transfer the casualty into a stretcher then up over the rocks to the helicopter, along with members of North Berwick, Dunbar and Fisherrow Coastguard Rescue Teams. I sent Vikki ashore to do this. It wasn’t far to the helicopter but the transfer needed to be done carefully over the uneven surfaces, so everyone was taking their time and working together to make it as comfortable as possible for the casualty.

A helmet camera view across long grass of a group of coastguards and helicopter crew transporting the casualty to the helicopter for transfer to the hospital. — The casualty was carefully transferred over the rocks and onto the rescue helicopter

Packing up our first aid kit, we said our goodbyes to the coastguards and headed back to the station wondering if our team had left us any sandwiches! We still had a lot to do to be ready for the next shout – washing down and refuelling the lifeboat, replenishing the first aid kit, washing down our lifejackets and drysuits. But by 8.25pm, we were sitting up in the crew room enjoying a cup of tea and buns together, reflecting on the shout.

Coming together

The casualty’s friend and the kind passerby were instrumental in getting him out of danger. Firstly, the passerby ensured we were on our way by calling for help and giving a location. But if someone’s in the water with a broken leg and in pain, how do they manage to stay afloat for long? The two of them working together to get him out of the water made a huge difference – by the time we got there, he was quite safe. If they hadn’t taken the initiative to get him to safety, it could have been vastly different. It was a bad day for the casualty but a good outcome overall – he’s had an injury but we’ve sorted him, he’s made it to the hospital quickly and it’s not been too unpleasant. I’ve heard he’s making good progress. Like many casualties immediately after a rescue, he had a bit of time reflecting on how it could have been a lot worse but he’s making a good recovery.

And our crew worked well together to put our skills into practice and support each other. We train and practise our skills but carrying them out for real with a stranger helps to strengthen and solidify them. Sarah treated the casualty for the most part and Matt was there to build her confidence and help with anything she may not be sure about – so now she has a very successful casualty care shout behind her.

Pieces of a puzzle

Being a part of the RNLI, I notice how everyone’s doing their bit. Each person who buys a Christmas card or keyring, or sticks a pound in a collection box – they might not think that’s doing much but, when you add it all together, it’s invaluable. Especially the sense of community support in a seaside town, we feel the importance placed on what the RNLI does. So many people contribute – whether they’re rattling collection buckets, staffing the shop or making scones for a coffee morning. It’s like a jigsaw, you need every single piece of the puzzle together to function – no one piece is more important than any other.

A group shot of 29 RNLI volunteers on the slipway across the road from North Berwick Lifeboat Station. They are smiling and raising a glass to 200 years of saving lives at sea. — North Berwick RNLI’s second 18:24 image, showing some of the many volunteers helping to save lives at sea

Safety tips

Cold water shock is a real risk in the UK and Ireland, where the average sea temperature is just 12°C. Inland waters like lakes, rivers, lochs and reservoirs can be colder – even in the summer. If you enter cold water shock, you lose control of your breathing and movement. It also causes your heart rate and blood pressure to quickly increase, which can lead to cardiac arrest.

Always enter the water slowly preferably from the shallows. To avoid cold water shock or underwater objects, don’t jump straight in from a height – check the depth of water and acclimatise first.

If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, Float to Live:

Tilt your head back with your ears submerged.
Relax and try to breathe normally.
Move your hands to help you stay afloat.
Your legs might sink – this is okay, we all float differently.
Spread your arms and legs to improve stability.
After 60–90 seconds you should be able to control your breathing and raise a hand while shouting for help.

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