Press release

Minister sees Coastguard life savers in water rescue action

Shipping Minister John Hayes visited Sutton Bridge Coastguard Rescue Team on his first official outing to a Coastguard base.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Shipping Minister John Hayes with Sutton Bridge Coastguard Rescue Team

On Wednesday 17 September 2014, he saw rescue officers put their skills to test, demonstrating how they would rescue a person in difficulty in the water, from immediate rescue techniques to casualty recovery and care.

Her Majesty’s Coastguard is the emergency service responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue in the UK. One rescue resource often called into action is the Coastguard Rescue Teams. There are currently 347 teams around the UK, made up of more than 3,200 volunteers.

Shipping Minister John Hayes MP said:

Coastguards work around the clock to keep people safe in the water. They are volunteers and the lynchpin of their local communities.

I am privileged to have seen firsthand their skilful, courageous work and would like to pay tribute to all those who dedicate their time and expertise to providing this critical service.

Coastguard Rescue Officers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ready to respond at a moment’s notice. They’re trained in a variety of rescue techniques, including water, mud, rope and cliff rescues, search methods, assisting helicopter operations and incident prevention.

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Published 18 September 2014