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Rescued Fleetwood man echoes RNLI advice on World Drowning Prevention Day

Lifeboats News Release

On World Drowning Prevention Day, the RNLI is reminding people heading to the coast to make safety a priority, following a lifesaving rescue off the coast of Fleetwood this week.

Carl Holden (33), from Fleetwood was dramatically rescued on when he became cut off by the tide whilst out walking his uncle’s dog on Fleetwood Beach. Carl was treading water and fearing for his life, when he was able to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard on his mobile phone. Carl is sharing the RNLI’s advice to hopefully prevent lives being lost.

Carl said: ‘I’d been walking with Ringo for about 15 minutes, it wasn’t until I noticed the water flowing pretty quickly and turned around and could see we were cut off. I knew then we were in trouble, so I called 999 and asked for the Coastguard.

‘In a matter of minutes the water was up to my waist and I started to panic because Ringo was swimming and I didn’t know how long he could last. The water kept rising and was soon up to my neck, I thought “This is it, I’m going to die today – I’m going to experience drowning”.

‘I tried to stay calm, the water was coming over my face and I could feel the strong currents as we were trying to swim back, but we were getting pushed further out. I took off my t-shirt and fleece as they were dragging me down. I knew I had to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard as soon as I realised we were in trouble, and I tried to save my energy as much as possible by floating on my back. All I kept saying was “I’m sorry Ringo”.

‘I kept trying to lift Ringo up to give him a bit of a break while trying to swim back, by the time the lifeboat came I think I’d been swimming for seven minutes or so. As the lifeboat came closer I managed to tip-toe and just find a bit of sand underneath me, so I started waving my hands in the air and shouting for help.’

Fleetwood’s D-class inshore RNLI lifeboat launched to the incident, recovering Carl and Ringo the dog. They were checked over by a paramedic and handed in to the care of the ambulance service. Had Carl not been carrying a means of calling for help, the incident could’ve had a very different outcome.

Daryl Randles, RNLI Senior Station Technician who was at the helm of the lifeboat said:

‘The tides can move at a speed of up to a foot in depth every five minutes in Fleetwood, and had Carl not called us when he did the shout would have had a very different outcome. It just goes to show why we always recommend carrying a means of calling for help with you, and if you find yourself in trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

‘Carl also did the right thing by floating on his back, which is exactly what the RNLI advises. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live; tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then call for help or swim to safety if you can.’

Carl added:

‘I was exhausted at this point and all my energy was spent on trying to keep myself afloat. I never thought something like that would happen to me, in those minutes in the water all sorts were going through my mind – it’s crazy how sudden your life can be taken in the sea.

‘It was the biggest relief of my life seeing that lifeboat. I want to share my story to raise awareness and let people know how important it is to take a means of calling for help with you when heading to the coast, and to make that call as soon as you think you’re in trouble – as every second really does count.’

‘I’m so thankful to the volunteer crew who came and saved us, without them we wouldn’t be here today sharing our story.’

The rescue comes as school children across the country enjoy the start of the summer holidays, with the coast predicted to be incredibly busy.

The RNLI is reminding people heading to the coast to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.

Figures released by the RNLI show that 83% of the UK adult population (aged 16-64) expect to visit the coast this summer, and 40% expect to go three times or more[1].

Figures from the RNLI reveal that lifeguards in the north west attended 727 incidents, went to the aid of 1,775 people and saved 1 life last year [2]. RNLI lifeguards will be patrolling on 10 beaches around the north west coast this summer to offer advice on how to stay safe and help anyone who gets into trouble.

236 people accidentally died in water related fatalities in 2023, ten more than in 2022 but in line with the five-year average. Of the 236 accidental fatalities in the UK in 2023; 20 occurred in July and 21 in August, reinforcing how important it is to stay safe at the coast over the summer.[3]

RNLI Water Safety Lead for the north west, Chris Cousens said:

‘On World Drowning Prevention Day we want to remind everyone that visiting a lifeguarded beach and swimming between the red and yellow flags can make a lifesaving difference. We know the coast is going to be incredibly busy over the summer holidays and we want everyone to enjoy their time but to also remember our vital safety advice.’

A full list of RNLI lifeguarded beaches can be found here

Visit RNLI.org/float2024 for more information.

Notes to editors

· Interviews available with RNLI spokespeople

· RNLI lifeguards in the North West attended 727 incidents, went to the aid of 1,775 people and saved 1 life last year[4]

· World Drowning Prevention Day is an official UN global awareness day coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which takes place on 25 July

Media contacts

For further information contact Claire Fitzpatrick Smith on 07977728315, or Danielle Rush on 07786 668829, RNLI press office on 01202 336789 / [email protected].

[1] Basis Research RNLI water safety Pre campaign survey 2024. Based on the UK population mid-2022 - 67,596,281 people (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/annualmidyearpopulationestimates/mid2022

Fleetwood RNLI

Fleetwood RNLI in lifesaving rescue

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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