RNLI takes part in multiagency exercise

Visitors who happened to be in the Sully Island area on Sunday may have thought there was a full-scale emergency on the causeway. In fact the unfolding drama was part of a well planned multi-agency training exercise. The scenario involved a number of casualties who had been trapped on the causeway and were subsequently swept into the sea on a rising tide.

The brave casualties were all highly trained RNLI lifeguards, and the scenario showed that even very strong swimmers stand very little chance of self-rescue if swept into the sea at Sully.

Penarth and Barry Dock lifeboats plucked casualties from the water. Coastguard teams from Penarth and Barry conducted tethered swim rescues, the national police air service helicopter dropped survival equipment and HM coastguard helicopter 187, also based at St Athan, carried out wet and dry winching exercises. Colleagues from the National Coastwatch Institution were in attendance to see how the rescues are coordinated, whilst Nells Point NCI monitored the incident from their base.

Speaking after the event Jason Dunlop, lifeboat operations manager for Penarth RNLI , who coordinates the annual exercise said, 'This is the third year we have run this simulated exercise. Although we have seen a reduction in calls to Sully Island as a result of our successful prevention activities, there remains a high probability that people will enter the water at Sully. Today's scenario has helped us plan coordinated rescues, evaluate each others capability and ensure our lines of communication are clear. We are most grateful to everyone who has supported today's exercise.'

RNLI media contact
For further details please contact Andy Berry Penarth Lifeboat Press Officer on 07951051128.

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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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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 142,700 lives.

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