RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Contents
Our lifesaving values 2
Service delivery 4
Incidents attended in 2016 5
People aided in 2016 6
Training 7
Community engagement 8
International 9
Awareness and fundraising 11
Equipment and infrastructure 12
Media 13
News 14
Casualty care in action 15
Photo: RNLI/Andy Perryman

RNLI lifeguarded beaches 2016 17

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
Our lifesaving values
RNLI lifeguards once again provided
prevention and rescue services that
improved safety for visitors to our
beaches. Be it providing safety
information in schools or patrolling the
beach, every lifeguard played their part
in making the community safer in 2016.
The lifeguard service supports the
community by providing the highest
quality lifesaving, beach safety and
education services and we will, as
appropriate, take on a leadership
role in safety management guidance
and standards.
During 2016 the service again
worked hard to meet the expectations
of the communities that we serve.
The RNLI lifeguard service is built
on seven key principles, all aimed at
providing a high-quality service that
meets an identified need.
Our team at RNLI Headquarters
supporting lifeguard services:
Peter Dawes
Lifesaving Services Manager
Lee Fisher
Lifeguard Services Manager
Brett Shepherd
Operations Manager (Lifeguards)
Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams
Marina Wilson
Lifeguard Services Coordinator
Tim Fallowfield
Lifeguard Services Coordinator
Our core principles of service delivery
are to:
1. Provide a lifeguard service delivery
based on beach safety assessments
and benchmarked against best
practice standards.
2. Provide quality lifeguard training that
ensures that people are competent in
all aspects of their work.
3. Engage positively with the
community at a local, national
and international level.
4. Protect our people from harm
and preserve our assets.
5. Ensure that teams are given timely
and effective business and
administrative support.
6. Provide an environment that
encourages innovation and
improvement.
7. Ensure that teams get the logistic
support that provides the equipment
and infrastructure to meet the
operational need.
RNLI lifeguards provide a service that
enhances the beach amenity available
to the community and the information
and statistics provided in this report
demonstrate the dedication of the
lifeguards and teams that support their
work in serving local communities.
Contact us at:
lifeguards@rnli.org.uk
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 RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Influence Education Supervise Rescue

RNLI Non-RNLI 116,783 children Contracted Assistance 2,876

Meet the Lifeguards
1,002 schools supervised 200,440
Beach safety bathing hours Rescue 2,082
240 3
assessments
19,992 children
Beach to City Preventative
131 schools 2,793,769 Lives saved 127
Audits 12 15 actions

10,775 children Major casualty

Hit the Surf
Quick scans 0 29 407 schools care and minor 12,176
first aid
Total lifeguard beach 148,311 children
safety advice 1,540 schools Search 197

Near miss 978

Missing/found 1,777

Other 325
Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
Service delivery
Beach safety assessments
The RNLI offers a beach safety assessment
consultancy service to all local authorities
and private beach owners.
The assessment process is designed to
help facilitate a comprehensive beach safety
management strategy by highlighting hazards, and
assigning ratings and suggested control measures.
A beach safety assessment is completed for
each RNLI lifeguarded beach every 5 years, with
annual reviews of the full beach safety assessments.
For non-RNLI beaches, the following were
completed in 2016:
• 3 beaches were fully assessed, bringing the total
number of non-RNLI beaches assessed to 413
• 29 quick scans (short-version beach safety
assessments) were completed
Photo: RNLI/Nigel Millard
• signage audit reports were provided for
12 beaches, bringing the total of non-RNLI
beaches to 216
• we responded to requests for public rescue
equipment audit reports for 3 beaches;
111 non-RNLI beaches have now benefitted
from this service.
Plymouth University has now concluded their
research to quantify beach risk. The RNLI will be
working throughout 2017 to test the research
findings in order to inform and assist future rollout
of the lifeguard service.
Service development
The total number of RNLI beach lifeguard units
in 2016 was 240.
The 16 new beaches were:
• Swanage – Swanage Town Council
• Perranuthnoe – Cornwall County Council
• Lusty Glaze – Private Owner
• St Andrews West Sands and Elie Harbour –
Fife Countryside Trust
• West Runton – North Norfolk District Council
• Lowestoft North – Sentinel Leisure Trust
• Rhyl and Prestatyn – Denbighshire
County Council
• Pink Bay, Rest Bay, Coney/Sandy Bay
and Trecco Bay – Bridgend County
Borough Council
• Three Cliffs – National Trust
• Newgale Central – Pembrokeshire
County Council
• Ballycastle – Causeway Coast
and Glens District Council.
Other changes that took place were:
• Bognor Regis had two lifeguard units
and this was reduced to one.
• Burgh Island was relocated
to Bigbury-on-Sea North.
Additionally, following five fatalities on
24 August 2016 at Camber Sands, the RNLI
responded by setting up an additional lifeguard
service patrol at this beach. The service ran from
27 August to 11 September 2016.
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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Incidents attended in 2016

Major Minor
RNLI lifeguard Lives Missing/
Rescue Assistance casualty first Search Near miss Other Total
management area saved found
care aid

Dorset, and Jersey 8 93 137 209 1,570 36 53 336 49 2,491

South Devon 5 60 104 85 854 5 10 49 24 1,196

Carrick and Kerrier 12 247 170 85 1,329 10 35 89 28 2,005

Newquay and Padstow 14 244 207 147 1,572 2 12 88 33 2,319

Penwith 6 78 133 66 738 0 7 53 17 1,098

North Cornwall and

11 326 200 142 1,059 3 12 270 41 2,064
North Devon

West Wales 4 23 21 22 319 5 0 6 3 403

South Wales 6 46 68 56 454 31 7 174 26 868

East Lindsey 1 14 8 21 329 16 12 104 13 518

Norfolk 2 35 55 61 549 10 10 63 19 804

Ramsgate (Thanet) 7 22 55 91 657 7 8 202 19 1,068

Boldon 8 16 7 38 247 1 3 20 15 355

Chichester 2 6 25 28 128 13 13 40 17 272

Scarborough 2 35 47 68 583 17 4 137 19 912

Sefton and Wirral 0 14 57 47 325 24 13 94 39 613

Photo: RNLI/Nigel Millard

Scotland 0 4 16 16 124 3 3 22 5 193

Northern Ireland 2 7 28 13 129 14 3 30 9 235

Total 90 1,270 1,338 1,195 10,966 197 205 1,777 376 17,414

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

People aided in 2016

Major Minor
RNLI lifeguard Lives Missing/
Rescue Assistance casualty first Search Near miss Other Total
management area saved found
care aid

Dorset, and Jersey 10 142 262 213 1,570 36 211 336 43 2,823

South Devon 6 111 211 85 854 5 42 49 21 1,384

Carrick and Kerrier 14 397 345 85 1,329 10 243 89 28 2,540

Newquay and Padstow 17 381 670 147 1,572 2 54 88 18 2,949

Penwith 10 140 269 66 738 0 27 53 21 1,324

North Cornwall and

15 572 432 142 1,059 3 112 270 22 2,627
North Devon

West Wales 6 37 29 22 319 5 0 6 5 429

South Wales 16 84 137 57 454 31 19 174 35 1,007

East Lindsey 1 19 9 21 329 16 66 104 5 570

Norfolk 3 49 74 64 549 10 31 63 16 859

Ramsgate (Thanet) 8 24 88 92 657 7 17 202 16 1,111

Boldon 10 20 11 38 247 1 29 20 12 388

Chichester 4 16 57 29 128 13 43 40 17 347

Scarborough 4 46 84 69 583 17 17 137 26 983

Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Sefton and Wirral 0 23 130 47 325 24 48 94 30 721

Scotland 0 10 22 20 124 3 15 22 5 221

Northern Ireland 3 11 46 13 129 14 4 30 5 255

Total 127 2,082 2,876 1,210 10,966 197 978 1,777 325 20,538

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Training
The RNLI produces a range of training resources and
courses, and reviews them throughout the season.
Our lifeguard trainers meet regularly as a working
group to review best practice and prioritise future
developments in lifeguard training.
A new Operational Command course was delivered
to lifeguard supervisors and senior lifeguard managers
as part of their induction training.

RNLI lifeguard training courses 2016

Number of Total number

Course title lifeguards of lifeguards
trained competent

Operational

Casualty Care for Lifeguards (CC4LG) 681 1,438

Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) – full qualification 102 295

All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) – full qualification 106 349

Rescue Watercraft (RWC) – full qualification 30 154

Inshore Rescue Boat Crew (IRBC) – full qualification 42 170

Inshore Rescue Boat Helm (IRBH) – full qualification 34 108

Training

RNLI Trainer/Assessor 34 153

ATV Trainer/Assessor – including updates 0 66

4WD Trainer/Assessor – including updates 0 77

RWC Trainer/Assessor – including updates 9 43

Photo: RNLI/Nigel Millard

IRB Trainer/Assessor – including updates 9 54

Leadership

Operational Leadership (OLC) 96 250

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
Community
engagement
In 2016 RNLI lifeguards were out and
about delivering the RNLI Community
Engagement programmes – Meet the
Lifeguards, Beach to City and Hit the
Surf – to primary and secondary schools,
youth groups and the wider community
throughout the UK and Jersey.
These programmes covered the three
elements of the drowning chain – lack of
safety advice, lack of education and the
inability to cope – and are contributing
towards the RNLI’s aim to influence,
educate and reduce drownings by 50%
by 2024 in UK and Irish waters.
In 2016, lifeguards delivered core
beach safety messages and safety advice
to more than 148,000 children in more
than 1,500 schools via the community
engagement programmes. A major
milestone was reached when the
total number of children who have
taken part in these programmes since
2003 reached 1 million – the total now
being 1,046,535.
Programme
Meet the Lifeguards
Beach to City
Hit the Surf
Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams
Events
The Meet the Lifeguards programme
was delivered to 116,783 children from
1,002 schools during the summer and
winter months. RNLI lifeguards worked
in schools raising awareness of general
water safety and particularly the dangers
of walking on frozen ponds, lakes
and rivers.
The Beach to City teams were also
out and about delivering interactive
beach safety sessions to 7–11-year-
old pupils in London, Birmingham,
Manchester and Cardiff, as well as
in Chester and Preston, which are
two new venues. Lifeguards visited
131 schools and spoke to nearly
20,000 children, providing children
from inland communities with basic
knowledge to stay safe when they visit
the coast as well as highlighting dangers
on inland waters. The Beach to City
programme has now been delivered
to over 163,000 children in more than
880 schools across the UK.
Number of participants
116,783
19,992
10,775
761
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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

International
SeaSafe
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
The RNLI has been working with the Centre for
Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB)
since 2012. Originally this partnership was formed
in order to produce and pilot the International
Lifeguard Manual. The RNLI then provided lifeguard
training to a small group of people who, in turn,
started to provide voluntary lifeguard patrols during
the weekend and on busy public holidays.
In 2014 the RNLI formalised this work into
a project called SeaSafe at Cox’s Bazar. Cox’s Bazar
is in the south-eastern corner of Bangladesh, and
has one of the world’s longest natural beaches
– stretching 125km, with Cox’s Bazar town itself
covering approximately 10km.
The current SeaSafe team consists of 5 senior
lifeguards and 12 lifeguards, supported by a local
manager and a supervisor. The service runs 8 hours
a day in the winter, and increases throughout the
season up to 12 hours a day in the summer, with the
day being split into morning and afternoon shifts.
For many people, it is their first visit to the
beach and the majority of beach goers are unable
to swim. As with all lifeguard services, the bulk of
the SeaSafe team’s work is raising awareness and
trying to prevent people needing to be rescued in
the first place.
During quieter periods of a shift, typically from
11am to 2pm, some lifeguards will be engaged in
community education work in various local primary
and secondary schools.
Photo: RNLI/Darren Williams

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
SeaSafe project activity
In 2016 lifeguards carried out just over
209,000 preventative actions. They
rescued 56 people from the water,
provided first aid to 7 people and dealt
with 5 lost children.
The community education team
visited 81 schools, educating 16,595
children on how to spot the dangers,
keep themselves safe and rescue others
from the water.
In November 2016 SwimSafe was
introduced to Cox’s Bazar. Within
2 months, 128 children had graduated
from the programme, being able to swim
a distance of 25m.
Development of the programme
is ongoing.
The next few years
Over the course of the next few years,
the plan is to:
• expand the lifeguard services
to additional beaches based on
identified need
• have a targeted approach to
community education and delivering
water safety messages
- in schools
- in the community
- to high risk communities.
At the moment there is a skills gap
in the areas including risk assessment
and community risk mapping, service
level identification, equipment selection
and procurement, signage design and
how to identify suitable locations for
these signs. In order to ensure that the
right service is in the right place all these
skills are important when planning and
implementing lifeguard services.
The RNLI will be working with
the SeaSafe team to enable them to
implement services from the start and to
be in a position of self-sufficiency, with
limited support from the RNLI. There
are already six lifeguard trainers who
have been trained by the RNLI, which
means that they are able to train more
Photo: RNLI/Mike Lavis
lifeguards as and when needed.
The RNLI’s role will also be to
provide technical support, guidance
and training for community education
where needed.
Photo: RNLI/Darren Williams
Photo: RNLI/Darren Williams
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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Awareness and fundraising

Our lifeguards form a vital link in a chain
of action that ultimately ends in saving
a life and our fundraisers and supporters
form a first link in this chain, ensuring
that RNLI lifesavers can carry out
training and rescues without worrying
about where the money is coming from.
In 2016, lifeguards also helped to
raise awareness and valuable funds
in addition to their lifesaving duties,
working alongside the dedicated
fundraising teams.
In collaboration with RNLI
fundraising teams in Wales, lifeguards
helped to promote and support our
the Yellow Welly Rugby Festival
at Newtownards and supported
photoshoots for Mayday corporate
supporters. They also took part in
the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival’s
opening parade on Rathlin Island.
In Scotland, lifeguards walked from
Leven Coastguard Station to Kinghorn
Lifeboat Station as part of the Mayday
Coastal Challenge, raising funds for
Mayday as well as raising the RNLI’s
profile in the area, and working alongside
the local stations, branches and
coastguard teams. They also attended
art, sporting and safety events, with sand
providing help and support during the
Three Shires Cycle Ride in Cheshire,
Shropshire and Staffordshire; and
increased coverage along the beach
during the America’s Cup World Series at
Portsmouth, as well as providing a rescue
watercraft for the RNLI stand at the
event in July.
The Midlands was not forgotten
despite its lack of proximity to the sea.
Alongside our community fundraising
managers, lifeguards delivered the Beach
to City campaign and also supported
Respect the Water activities.
In Cornwall, lifeguards provided

Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

national Mayday and Fish Supper
campaigns, as well as our Opt-In
campaign. Links to the new Barry Island
Visitor Centre in south Wales remain
strong and, at a new lifeguarded area
in north Wales, the lifeguard team
worked alongside Rhyl Lifeboat Station
and our face-to-face colleagues to
deliver successful engagement in the
local community.
The Northern Ireland lifeguards
also got behind Mayday by attending
Photo: RNLI/Mike Lavis
drawing days and beach rugby at Elie
Harbour, and first aid demonstrations as
part of the fire service days at Aberdour
Silver Sands throughout the summer.
Other first aid assistance was
provided at the Burnham-on-Sea Colour
Run, along with first responders at the
Blyth Tall Ships event.
Sporting events proved popular
with lifeguards supporting the Tour De
Yorkshire, driving RNLI trucks in the
peloton throughout the 3-day event;
safety cover and support to both the
Castle to Castle and Around the Mount
swims. The lifeguard teams helped plan
the events, risk assess them and develop
water safety plans, with lifeguard
managers being the water safety
manager at both events. The teams
provided safety cover on rescue boards,
rescue watercraft and inshore rescue
boats, as well as first aid cover on the
beaches and radios for communication
throughout the events.
Also in Cornwall, RNLI lifeguards
provided an insight into some of their
equipment including a four-wheel drive
patrol vehicle and inshore rescue boat at
Falmouth Week, talked to members of
the public, and also took part in a game
of water polo. They were very much a big
part of the event alongside traditional
fundraisers with a souvenir stall and the
face-to-face team.
Face-to-face
Face-to-face fundraisers have been part
of RNLI beach life for over 10 years.
Our mission is to inspire committed
support through engaging, educating
and influencing; ultimately helping
communities Respect the Water.
The teams operate at RNLI lifeguarded
beaches, lifeboat stations and at
local and national events. They work
collaboratively with other RNLI teams
to maximise opportunities, raising
income, sharing safety advice and
playing a vital role in the organisation’s
crews and local branch volunteers.
Since 2008 the fundraisers have inspired
over 110,000 new regular supporters to
give at least £3 per month, generating
over £22 million so far. 2016 was our
best year on record, with more than
18,000 new supporters.
Alongside fundraising, lifeguards
train the fundraisers to provide key
safety messages, tailored to the local
area and hazards. In 2016, coastal safety
advice was shared with families in more
than 150,000 conversations.
As the face-to-face teams are often

Lifeguards around the UK and Jersey
also attended many of the lifeboat
station open days, providing both static
and live displays in addition to behind-
the-scenes support of the events.
objective of a 50% reduction in drowning
by 2024.
The face-to-face teams’ success is
made possible due to fantastic support
from RNLI lifeguards, volunteer lifeboat
the first contact the public has with the
RNLI on beaches, simple advice such as
swim between the red and yellow flags
supports our lifeguards to manage
the beaches.

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Equipment and
infrastructure
The RNLI has 507 lifeguard assets.
As the demands of lifesaving evolve, the RNLI must adapt to provide facilities
for lifeguards that they need and deserve. Operating in harsh coastal environments,
the challenge is to provide the perfect space for lifeguards that is capable of
withstanding the elements with minimal maintenance and can be positioned
anywhere from cliff tops to shingle beaches.
All lifeguard equipment and facilities are designed to support their lifesaving
activities and ensure that their safety and wellbeing are cared for in a dynamic
beach environment.
Both environmental and aesthetic criteria also need to be satisfied when
integrating buildings and temporary infrastructures within the natural and urban
environment in which they are located.
During 2016, three new permanent lifeguard units were added to the existing
assets. Each permanent lifeguard unit offers a self-contained lookout with power,
water, gas stove and storage solutions so that effective lifeguard cover can be
provided on the beaches.
The permanent buildings include 30 support centres plus ancillary buildings
and fixed container stores. The transient lifeguard units include rescue board bins,
wheeled units and shipping containers, some of which are hired seasonally.

Facility type Total

Permanent lifeguard units 63

Permanent buildings or structures 82

Transient lifeguard units 362

Photo: RNLI/Steve Harvey

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
Media
During 2016, the RNLI Communications
Team continued to raise awareness
about lifeguards, the work they do
and the importance of beach safety.
Between 1 January and 31 December
there were 1,928 of print and broadcast
coverage in national and regional media.
These reached 37.8 million people
with an advertising value equivalent
of £6.5 million.
Highlights
• BBC Wales TV and radio, ITV Wales,
Western Mail and the South Wales
Evening Post all covered the launch
of a new lifeguard service at Three
Cliffs Bay.
• National and media broadcast and
print media attended a media morning
at Boscombe beach in August where
RNLI spokespeople gave interviews
urging people to respect the water
following a number of drownings.
• The Daily Mail and The Sun covered
a Newquay lifeguard’s rescue of three
teenagers who had drifted out to sea
on a makeshift raft.
Photo: RNLI
• An article in the Evening Gazette,
Teeside, described how a lifeguard
rescued a boy who had been trapped
on rocks due to an incoming tide at
West Scar, at the Redcar Beacon end
of the beach.
• An interview with a senior lifeguard,
who treated a child with a weever-
fish sting, was played on BBC Good
Morning Ulster and Q Radio.
• North Norfolk News reported a rescue
by lifeguards at Sea Palling after three
adults started drifting out to sea in
a dinghy.
Camber Sands
Following five drownings that happened
in one day at Camber Sands, there was
a great deal of coverage about the safety
of that beach and whether it should have
RNLI lifeguards. A temporary service
was provided by the RNLI from August
Bank Holiday weekend for just over
2 weeks. This was reported by national
and regional media, such as Sky, BBC,
ITV, 5live, The Guardian, The Telegraph
and Kent Online.
Photo: RNLI
Real-life footage
News and radio websites used footage
online from our Contour cameras. Actual
rescue footage of Bantham lifeguards
rescuing a young boy, who had drifted
out to sea on an inflatable toy, was
viewed on YouTube 2,721 times and was
used by the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror
and other nationals. Regional television
broadcasts continued to use helmet
camera footage to illustrate news stories
about lifeguards and rescues.
Social media
There was significant positive activity on
the RNLI’s social media channels such as
Facebook and Twitter. A post in August
about a lifeguard at Trevone beach
rescuing a bodyboarder caught in a rip
current received 27,000 video views and
reached 88,000 people.
Footage captured by a Penwith
lifeguard of basking sharks that visited
Porthcurno beach in June reached
1.6 million people and received 402,000
views. Both posts received a number
of positive comments and likes on
Facebook. Other links to videos and
pictures of lifeguard rescues received
many hundreds of click-throughs.
Photo: RNLI
In 2016, lifeguards across the
different regions were trained to use
Snapchat and took over the RNLI
account during the summer. Each
lifeguard was responsible for the account
for 1 week. Content included safety
advice, footage of training exercises and
getting to know the lifeguards.
Media training
Media training was delivered throughout
the year by the RNLI Communications
Team so that lifeguards are equipped
with the necessary skills and confidence
to deal with the media. An integral part
of operational training, the sessions
recognise the important role that
lifeguards play as the face of the RNLI.
Media evaluation
Media coverage was evaluated at the end
of 2016 and, although not exhaustive, it
provides a useful snapshot of PR activity
and media coverage secured during
the year.
Photo: RNLI
Total volume of coverage
The volume of coverage for lifeguards
from 1 January to 31 December 2016
was 1,928 items of print and broadcast
coverage. A peak of 42% of the coverage
was in August, which was linked to
several drownings, including the five
deaths at Camber Sands.
Opportunities to see
Opportunities to see (OTS) is defined
as the potential total of readers/viewers/
listeners that might see each article.
This means that if, for example, an article
appears in The Telegraph, BBC Online
and Radio 4, OTS would count the
reader/viewer/listener three times.
From 1 January to 31 December, lifeguard
coverage provided over 607.5 million
(607,527,498) OTS.
Advertising value equivalent
It is notoriously difficult to accurately
calculate the equivalent monetary value
of PR and communications compared
with paid-for advertising. Although the
advertising value equivalent (AVE) is
a crude measurement, it does provide
a useful benchmark. From 1 January
to 31 December, the advertising value
of the 1,928 items of lifeguard coverage
was estimated at £6.5 million.
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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
News
RNLI lifeguards were involved in more
than 17,000 incidents and aided more
than 20,500 people. The role of RNLI
lifeguards in rescue and prevention,
raising awareness and funds has been
reported in the news. Here is just
a snapshot of their activity.
13 May
Off-duty
RNLI lifeguard
rescues teenage
bodyboarder
A senior RNLI lifeguard on the Causeway
Coast was cycling home when he
saw two teenagers on bodyboards.
Knowing the dangers of the water in
that area and seeing how far out they
were, he sensed they might come into
difficulty. He advised their parents on
the shore to wave them back in. One
of the bodyboarders struggled so the
off-duty lifeguard grabbed a rescue board
from the lifeguard unit and pulled the
bodyboarder out of the water.
26 May
Two swimmers
caught in strong
rip current
While carrying out lookout patrols, RNLI
lifeguards at Whitsand Bay spotted two
swimmers in a rip current. The lifeguards
quickly swam out with a rescue tube to
the swimmers in trouble and they were
all picked up by the inshore rescue boat
from Tregonhawke and taken to shore.
1 June
Lifeguards at
Boscombe rescue
16 paddleboarders
Quick-thinking lifeguards from
Boscombe beach put their training to
the test when 16 paddleboarders found
themselves in difficulty. A strong wind
caused the paddleboarders to drift out to
sea and they were struggling to paddle
back in. The lifeguards launched their
rescue watercraft and were able to ferry
the paddleboarders in pairs back to the
beach on the craft.
Photo: RNLI
Photo: RNLI
18 July
Two bodyboarders
trapped on rocks
When two bodyboarders were
trapped on the rocks 500m offshore
at Whiterocks beach, RNLI lifeguards
launched their rescue watercraft. Heavy
swell meant it was impossible to get
the craft close to the bodyboarders.
With waves breaking over their heads,
the lifeguards waited for a lull in the
set before one jumped in the water
and swam to the rocks. He retrieved
each man to the watercraft before they
returned back to shore.
21 July
Five rescued from
car in Fife
Five people were assisted by lifeguards
at Burntisland in Fife when their car fell
from the promenade into the water.
Two lifeguards were first on the scene
and helped free one man from the
vehicle and onto a rescue board. Once
all the casualties were safe, lifeguards
assessed their condition. One of the
casualties was given oxygen due to
concerns about her rate of breathing
and one casualty had a leg injury treated.
24 August
Drifting teenagers
rescued off
Swansea beach
Despite a red flag being raised at
Langland Bay and lifeguards advising
three teenagers not to enter the water
with their surf and bodyboards, they did
anyway. Before long they were being
swept away from the beach by a rip
current and strong winds. A lifeguard
paddled 300m out to the boys and
brought them onto the rescue board
and returned them to shore.
Photo: RNLI
Photo: RNLI
24 August
RNLI lifeguards assist
91-year-old with
suspected stroke
Lifeguards at Roker beach were quick
to attend the scene of a distressed
elderly lady on the promenade who was
suspected to have had a stroke. After an
assessment the lifeguards administered
oxygen and placed the lady into the
recovery position. They carefully
monitored her condition and kept her
stable until the paramedics arrived
when they then carried her on
a stretcher into the ambulance.
23 September
Paddle do nicely!
– lifeguard crosses
channel in just
5 hours
An RNLI lifeguard supervisor from Anglia
crossed the English Channel in an
amazing 5 hours using just a paddleboard
and the power of his arms. Nick Ayers
did the challenge to raise money for the
RNLI and raised around £1,000 after
paddling from Dungeness to Boulogne.
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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Casualty care
in action
Norfolk lifeguards treat man
with suspected heart attack
On the last Tuesday in August 2016, lifeguards on
a north Norfolk beach were alerted by a young boy to
his father who he suspected of having a heart attack.
On arrival, lifeguards assessed the man was in cardiac
arrest and immediately started chest compressions.
Prompt arrival of the lifeguard defibrillator allowed
them to successfully shock and bring the man back
to full level of consciousness, 15 minutes after he had
gone into cardiac arrest.
Lifeguards continued post-resuscitation care with
assistance from an off-duty paramedic and nurse until
the air ambulance arrived. They then helped to clear
the landing zone for the helicopter before assisting in
evacuating the casualty onto the helicopter.
Rob Willmore, RNLI Senior Lifeguard, said: ‘I’m very
proud of the lifeguards whose extensive casualty care
training immediately kicked in and provided the man
with immediate lifesaving interventions. Without this
high-quality medical care and the rapid recognition of
cardiac arrest, and early call for help from the young
boy, his father may not have survived.
‘Many people are unaware that lifeguards perform
lifesaving work not only in the water but also on the
beach in our role as first responders for all medical
emergencies, both major and minor. All RNLI lifeguards
are highly trained in casualty care, which is a form
of advanced first aid. The remoteness of the north
Norfolk coast and the nature of the environment
we work within often makes it inaccessible to road
ambulances hence the lifeguards provide a vital role
in the immediate response to look after injured or ill
casualties until further help arrives.’
Photo: RNLI

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016
RNLI lifeguards
respond to a
diabetic woman
Lifeguard Jack Bancroft was first
to respond to an incident at about
4.20pm on a mid-summer Friday
after a member of the public alerted
lifeguards to a woman. She was suffering
a hypoglycemic episode on the beach,
west of the RNLI lifeguard unit.
Photo: RNLI/Adrian Don
The woman, who was with two
children at the time, was unconscious
when Jack first arrived on scene but
soon after was drifting in and out
of consciousness and was able to
communicate that she was diabetic.
By this time an ambulance had been
called and fellow Lifeguard Methan
Ratnakumar had arrived to support with
the woman’s treatment. The lifeguards
administered oxygen and gave the
woman glucose gel, but her condition
worsened and she was placed into the
recovery position and monitored until
paramedics arrived and took over
her treatment.
They were able to give further
treatment to the woman, who recovered
quickly and was able to walk to the
waiting ambulance a short time later.
RNLI lifeguards
attend two
multi-agency
rescue operations
Just after 5pm on 18 August, lifeguards
received a call alerting them to an
incident at Browns Bay where a person
had fallen from the cliffs onto the
lower promenade.
RNLI Lifeguard Tom Steedman
responded immediately and his
colleagues Phil Richie and Matthew Dunn
also attended in the inshore rescue boat.
The lifeguards carried out a casualty
care check on the male teenager and
they kept him in a stable condition until
paramedics arrived. An off-duty RNLI
lifeboat crew member also helped.
The casualty was then transferred
to the air ambulance in a joint operation
involving RNLI lifeguards, fire service,
police and the Tynemouth Volunteer
Photo: RNLI/Chris Rigby
Life Brigade. This operation was highly
specialised and involved extracting the
teenager around the side of the cliffs to
a safe point of clear grass at the top.
While this incident was unfolding, at
around 5.45pm, RNLI Lifeguards Jasmine
Spokes and Cara Singleton spotted
a man who had fallen on rocks near the
lifeguard unit at Cullercoats.
They performed a casualty care
assessment, administered oxygen and
monitored his breathing before handing
him over to paramedics. He was then
airlifted (pictured left) to hospital by
a coastguard rescue helicopter.
RNLI Lifeguard Manager Carl Harris
said: ‘Both casualties received swift and
effective treatment, which is testament
to the seamless teamwork demonstrated
by the agencies involved. All RNLI
lifeguards receive comprehensive
casualty care training as part of the
role and this vital training ensured
that our lifeguards remained calm
under pressure.’
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 RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

RNLI lifeguarded
beaches 2016
Photo: RNLI/Nigel Millard

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Newquay and Padstow,

Carrick and Kerrier, and Penwith

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

North Cornwall and North Devon,

and South Devon

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Dorset and Jersey

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Ramsgate (Thanet)
and Chichester

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

East Lindsey and Norfolk

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Scotland and Boldon

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Scarborough

Redcar – Redcar and Cleveland

Saltburn – Redcar and Cleveland

Sandsend – Scarborough

Key: Whitby – Scarborough

RNLI lifeguard management area
Beach name – Local authority/Beach owner
North Bay – Scarborough
Cayton Bay – Scarborough
South Bay – Scarborough Filey – Scarborough
Belvedere – East Riding

Limekiln Lane – East Riding

Bridlington North – East Riding Bridlington South – East Riding

Hornsea – East Riding

Sefton and Wirral Withernsea – East Riding

Southport – Sefton
Ainsdale – Sefton
Formby – Sefton
Crosby – Sefton New Brighton (Perch Rock) – Wirral
The Plateaux – Wirral
Prestatyn – Denbighshire Harrison Drive – Wirral
Rhyl – Denbighshire
Moreton – Wirral
West Kirby – Wirral

Sefton and Wirral,

and Scarborough

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

West Wales and South Wales

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Northern Ireland

Downhill Strand – Causeway Coast and Glens

Whiterocks – Causeway Coast and Glens
Ballycastle – Causeway Coast and Glens

Portrush East Strand – Causeway Coast and Glens

Portrush West Strand – Causeway Coast and Glens
Portrush West Harbour – Causeway Coast and Glens
Portstewart Strand – National Trust
Castlerock – Causeway Coast and Glens
Benone Strand – Causeway Coast and Glens

Northern
Ireland

Key:
Tyrella – Newry City, Mourne and Down District
RNLI lifeguard management area
Beach name – Local authority/Beach owner Murlough – Newry City, Mourne and Down District

Cranfield – Newry City, Mourne and Down District

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RNLI Lifeguards Report 2016

Royal National Lifeboat Institution

West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ
Telephone: 0845 122 6999 (UK) 1800 789589 (RoI)
RNLI.org Email: info@rnli.org.uk
Cover photo: RNLI/Nigel Millard

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603)
and Scotland (SC037736). Registered charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland
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