Local RNLI Station urges people to stay safe along the coast during heatwave
In the midst of what the Met Office are predicting could be the hottest summer on record, more and more of us are heading to the coast resulting in greater numbers of water safety incidents.
On 25th July RNLI Hoylake’s Inshore Rescue Hovercraft ‘Hurley Spirit’ was launched following reports of two people at risk of being cut off by the incoming tide on a sandbank off Hightown. On this occasion the Hovercraft crew were stood down on route as the casualties had been taken on board Coastguard Helicopter 936 and landed safely ashore at the former Crosby Coastguard Station. However, the incident highlights the potential risks that visitors to the coast might encounter this summer and all year round.
RNLI Hoylake’s Hovercraft and Shannon Class Lifeboat RNLB ‘Edmund Hawthorn Micklewood’ have been tasked to 21 incidents so far this year, a number of which have been to persons who have become stuck on sandbanks around the Merseyside coast.
Hovercraft Crew Commander, James Whiteley, said ‘It’s great that so many people are choosing to spend time at the coast this summer and as RNLI volunteers, we are here to help keep them safe in and around the water. We advise members of the public to respect the water; making themselves aware of the daily tide timetables, as well as any other potential risks they may encounter whilst enjoying the coastline and all it has to offer.”
Around 190 people lose their lives at the UK and Irish coasts each year. Respect the Water is the RNLI’s national drowning prevention campaign, which aims to greatly reduce the number of such incidents by sharing important water safety advice. More information can be found at respectthewater.com.
If they find themselves in difficulty, members of the public should telephone 999 and ask for the Coastguard, who work closely with the RNLI every day in rescue operations up and down the country.
Volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution are on standby 24 hours a day ready to fulfil their duty in search and rescue operations.
RNLI Media contacts
For more information, please contact Vicki Phipps at [email protected] or Dan Whiteley at [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.