Chiswick RNLI lifeboat helps out ambulance crew with speedy medivac
Paramedics were on the towpath attending to a casualty but were long way from their ambulance
On Tuesday evening 7 July 2020 Chiswick RNLI lifeboat was on its way to refuel in central London when London Coastguard asked the crew to assist on a service call in Barn Elms Reach.
London Ambulance Service paramedics were on the southern towpath tending to a woman who was suffering from an allergic reaction. Their ambulance was parked a fifteen minute stretcher hike away and the casualty’s condition had the potential to worsen on the journey. They had seen the lifeboat crew on the river and asked for their assistance via the coastguard.
It was agreed to transport the woman by lifeboat to Putney Pier, a short distance downstream. The casualty was moved into the lifeboat’s stretcher and taken on board, along with the two paramedics. This gave them the opportunity to monitor the casualty’s vital signs aboard the lifeboat, and have the option to ask the helmsman to speed up the transit, should conditions deteriorate.
RNLI crew member Mark Pusey said ‘It’s a great example of something we are called to do on a very regular basis, work alongside other agencies to make sure the casualty’s needs are best met. Communication is key. It’s easy when the agency is as great as the LAS’
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 3,700 incidents and rescued over 1,750 people. The RNLI is entirely funded by public donations.
RNLI media contacts
- David Clarke RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (Chiswick), 07951 210500 [email protected]
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 33678
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For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
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 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.
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
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.