Burnham-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat volunteers exercise with local RNLI lifguards

Trainee D class helm Adam says; ‘We had launched our D class lifeboat, Burnham Reach, off Burnham on Sea jetty when we received an exercise tasking that there were two lifeguards on boards with three casualties and requiring lifeboat assistance. ‘

The Atlantic 85 lifeboat Doris Day and Brian approached the casualty to the north of the jetty and The D class crew approached the lifeguard, and two casualties south, of the jetty, in shallower water.

Once the D class volunteer crew came alongside the surfboard they found one conscious casualty and one unconscious casualty laying on the board.

The lifeboat crew quickly assisted the conscious casualty to board the lifeboat, whilst one crew member started evaluating if he required medical assistance. The D class was positioned next to the surf board ready to extract the unconscious casualty. Once the exercise was complete, the lifeboats and lifeguards returned to the Burnham slipway, for recovery, wash-down and the eventual debrief.

Burnham senior helm Jason Coombes summed up the exercise, it’s goals, and conclusions; ‘ Wednesday evening’s exercise was a joint operation between Burnham RNLI Lifeguards and Burnham RNLI Lifeboat crews to practice recovering multiple conscious and unconscious casualties from the sea.

The aim was to work together to recover them from the water and get them back to dry land.

We practiced various techniques to get a casualty from a rescue board onto the lifeboat which was challenging given the moderate sea state and waves close to shore. Fun was had by all, and lots of positive lessons were learned. It is important that we can work closely together for when we have to deal with a real emergency situation.'

RNLI media contacts

For more information, in the first instance, please contact Mike Lang, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Burnham-on-Sea Lifeboat Station on 07889 815860 or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789

RNLI Lifeboats at Burnham-on-Sea

A 8.5m Atlantic 85 named Doris Day and Brian plus a smaller 4.95m D class IB1 inflatable named Burnham Reach The station was opened officially on 15th May 2004, but has been operational since December 2004.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Mike Lang, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South West, [email protected]

Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for South West England, 07920 818807, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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