RNLI lifeguards and Dart volunteer lifeboat crew rescue injured 12-year-old boy
Working together RNLI lifeguards at Blackpool Sands and volunteer lifeboat crew from Dart helped a young boy who injured himself while jumping into the water at Blackpool Sands at around 11.45am on Friday 1 September.
Lifeguards were alerted by members of the public to the injured boy who hurt himself jumping from a raft into the sea off Blackpool Sands.
Lifeguards Luke Lane-Prokopiou and Emily Bush paddled out around 100m to the young boy who had climbed back onto the raft, but was experiencing back pain. He was treated for a possible spinal injury.
Senior Lifeguard Alex Allen, who assisted the co-ordination of the rescue from the beach, said: ‘It was a busy day at Blackpool Sands with a few hundred people enjoying the good weather. Members of the public on the raft alerted the lifeguards to the injured boy and they responded quickly, administering first aid.’
Dart lifeboat was tasked at 11.50am with volunteer crew of helm Kevin Murphy and crew Kevin John and Katy Locke arriving quickly at the scene.
The boy was transferred to the beach on a stretcher via the inshore lifeboat and into the care of a waiting land ambulance team.
Lifeguard Supervisor Chris Rampling added: ‘It’s a great example of joint working between not only the local lifeguards and the volunteer lifeboat crew at Dart Lifeboat Station, but other emergency services as well.’
Dart Lifeboat was recovered back to its station at 1.10pm.
The RNLI advises people to always swim at a lifeguarded beach, swim between the red and yellow flags and never swim alone. If you get into trouble, stick your fist in the air and shout for help. If you see someone else in trouble tell a lifeguard or dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
Notes to Editors
- Video available for download. Credit RNLI
- Blackpool Sands is lifeguarded daily between 10am and 6pm until Sunday September 3.
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