
Port Isaac RNLI crew respond to emergency during Storm Darragh
The Port Isaac RNLI volunteer crew were called to assist in a dramatic and unusual rescue during Storm Darragh on Saturday, 7th December.
With a Met Office amber weather warning in place for storm-force winds, slates and debris were being hurled from rooftops, creating a significant danger to anyone caught outside.
During the peak of the storm, a holidaymaker was blown over in the harbour and suffered a leg injury leaving them immobile outside of the lifeboat station. The storm had also knocked out the village’s electricity and mobile signal mast, leaving locals unable to immediately call for help. A local resident drove out of the village to find a signal and alert emergency services, but the ambulance response time was estimated at two hours. With debris continuing to fall, the situation posed an immediate threat to life.
Recognising the urgency, a concerned resident knocked on the door of a local paramedic and first responder, Richard Hambly. Richard is also a Launching Authority with Port Isaac RNLI. South Western Ambulance Service had tasked Richard to attend the scene. Several Port Isaac RNLI crew members were in the vicinity putting up storm boards and were at hand to provide assistance given the treacherous weather. Equipped with their Gecko helmets, Richard and the crew assessed the situation and decided that immediate action was necessary.
Richard performed a quick casualty care assessment due to the danger posed by falling debris and administered pain relief. The crew then assisted with the prompt transfer to the lifeboat stretcher to carefully move the casualty to the safety of the lifeboat station. Once the ambulance arrived it took a team effort to hold the doors of the station open in storm force winds, just long enough for the ambulance to gain access and take the casualty to hospital.
Although this type of rescue is not a standard part of their training, the crew adapted to the challenging conditions with the skills and equipment available to them.
Launching Authority and paramedic, Richard Hambly praised the crew’s efforts,
'This was a dynamic and dangerous situation, but the team acted quickly and decisively to protect the casualty from further harm. Their training and equipment, combined with their willingness to step in during a storm, undoubtedly prevented further injury.'
Storm Darragh left a trail of disruption across Cornwall and the South West, with Port Isaac experiencing damaging gusts of over 75mph.
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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