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Fowey RNLI volunteers assist casualty with broken ankle.

Lifeboats News Release

On Saturday 27 July at 3.30pm, Falmouth Coastguard requested that Fowey lifeboat station assemble crew, for possible assistance to a woman with a suspected broken ankle just south of the monument on the Hall Walk at Penleath Point above Fowey Harbour.

Fowey RNLI

Fowey's inshore crew on their way to the scene

An ambulance and St Austell and Polruan coastguard teams were en route to the casualty. As there were difficulties with access to the scene, it was decided to launch Fowey’s inshore lifeboat to the point and to put RNLI crew members ashore to provide assistance and casualty care.

A Fowey Harbour Patrol staff member was already on scene with the casualty. The Fowey lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 4pm, where two crew went ashore and proceeded to provide casualty care and administer pain relief for the woman. The coastguard teams and paramedics arrived on scene at 4.40pm. At 5pm after assessment by the paramedics, it was decided that the best way to evacuate the casualty was to take the woman along the Hall Walk to Bodinnick. With two Fowey lifeboat crew assisting, at 5.30pm the teams took the injured woman from the scene, and at 6.20pm she was transferred to the ambulance waiting at Bodinnick. The inshore lifeboat helm picked up the two crew at the Bodinnick slipway at 6.30pm and returned to the station.

This was an excellent example of coordination and cooperation between Fowey RNLI, the coastguard teams the ambulance service and Fowey Harbour patrol.

Fowey RNLI

Fowey's RNLI crew nearing the scene

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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