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North Berwick RNLI assist dog walker with leg injury on Broad Sands Beach

Lifeboats News Release

Volunteer crew members from North Berwick RNLI were called into action at 12.33pm on Monday 17 July after a casualty injured their leg during a dog walk on Broad Sands, a beach to the west of North Berwick.

The lifeboat arrived on scene to find the casualty, who had been on the beach for some time, in excruciating pain from a leg injury. With the casualty immobile due to the pain, members of the public had pulled them up the beach ahead of the incoming tide.

The casualty had been on holiday to the Scottish Golf Open and were taking their rescue dog for a final walk along Broad Sands, the dog’s favourite beach, before returning home.

Volunteer crew members were joined by members of the Scottish Ambulance Service and along with North Berwick and Dunbar Coastguard Rescue Teams, worked together to provide pain relief, readying the casualty for transport to hospital via the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance.

Rhona Meikle, Helm of North Berwick’s RNLI Lifeboat said: ‘This call out shows our ability to work together with other emergency services, in order to get the casualty safely to hospital.’

‘Although not that remote, Broad Sands can feel a world away from safety when you can’t move due to pain. We wish the casualty all the best with their recovery.’

‘This incident highlights that in any coastal emergency, you should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard who can dispatch lifeboats, shore teams and helicopters to evacuate casualties from difficult locations.’

The volunteers returned to station three hours after launching and made the lifeboat ready for service. North Berwick RNLI will host a fundraising Open Day on Saturday, 29 July, 11am-4pm where the public will be able to climb aboard our D Class Inshore Lifeboat, Evelyn M and meet our mascot Stormy Stan with live music and fundraising stalls throughout the day.

Notes to editors
  • In 2022 RNLI lifeboats from 238 stations across the UK and RoI launched 9,312 times saving 389 lives, RNLI Lifeguards saved a further 117 lives.
  • It cost £1,400 a year to train each crew member in the lifesaving skills they need to answer the call for help
  • 97% of the RNLI’s frontline lifesavers are volunteers including over 5,700 lifeboat crew members.
  • In 2022 it cost the RNLI £188M to run it’s charitable lifesaving service, 6 in 10 of the lifeboat launches were funded be generous supporters leaving the RNLI a gift in their will.
  • Library footage and images of North Berwick RNLI are available on request, please use the contacts below.

RNLI media contacts

Matthew Gibbons, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, North Berwick, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
24 hour RNLI Central Press Office, 01202 336789 or email [email protected]

Scottish Charity Air Ambulance lands on beach in the background whilst RNLI crew members sheild casualty from blowing sand in the foreground

RNLI/North Berwick

North Berwick RNLI shelter casualty as the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance lands on beach
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Lifeboat in the shallows with first aid equipment being returned to the vessel

RNLI/North Berwick

North Berwick RNLI crew members recovering equipment to lifeboat
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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, Twitter 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.

About the author

Matthew Gibbons
Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, North Berwick Lifeboat Station

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