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Redcar RNLI volunteers have a very busy Christmas

Lifeboats News Release

Volunteers from Redcar RNLI received a call for help on Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December). A casualty was discovered by an off-duty paramedic, on Lord Street in Redcar, close to the lifeboat station.

Lifeboat preparing to launch

RNLI/Andrew Watson

Redcar Leicester Challenge 111

The paramedic called the Ambulance Service but also reached out to her partner, a crew member at Redcar RNLI.

As soon as the ambulance arrived, its crew took over, continuing to deliver lifesaving care before taking the casualty into James Cook Hospital for further treatment.

Mike Picknett, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar RNLI said, ‘part of our lifeboat crew’s training includes casualty care where they are taught how to carry out CPR. The casualty was very fortunate that many of the Redcar crew live close to where the incident occurred and were able to help the off-duty paramedic very quickly. Thankfully, the Ambulance crew were able to take over when they did.’

Following this Christmas Eve incident, the volunteers at Redcar Lifeboat Station had their Christmas dinners interrupted when their pagers went off at 1.53pm on Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December). This was to respond to an ongoing incident taking place at Newport Bridge on the River Tees in Middlesbrough. Redcar’s lifeboat the Atlantic 85 Leicester Challenge 111 was launched to assist with the multi-agency response. The lifeboat remained at the scene until stood down later that afternoon.

Craig Pearson, Launch Authority at Redcar during the incident said, ‘this was Redcar’s first Christmas Day shout for several years and we had a fantastic response from our volunteer crew who left family celebrations for several hours to attend. As a lifeboat station we always have a crew ready to react to a shout even on Christmas Day.’

Notes to Editors

Redcar lifeboat station has been operating since 1802

Redcar currently operates a B-class lifeboat named Leicester Challenge III, paid for by the people of Leicester, and an IB1-class lifeboat named Eileen May Loach-Thomas, paid from the legacy of the late Mr Nick Thomas of Shropshire

RNLI Media contacts

For more information, please contact Andy Watson, Lifeboat Press Officer, Redcar RNLI on 07954 435834 or 01642 484491 or email [email protected]

Clare Hopps Regional Media Officer 07824 518641

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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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.

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