New Safety Campaign

[HemsbyPie]

Can't stress enough how important it is to ask for Coastguard if you have an emergency on the waterways.

We attended more than a few incidents last year where the casualty had been waiting for extended periods of time after failing to do this...

http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/hemsby-lifeboat-crew-working-hard-to-make-water-safety-message-stick-1-4995865

[Wussername]

I know where I am anywhere on the broads. I know where I have come from and I know where I am going. Many holiday makers do not. Some do not know where they have been, have a rough idea where they are going but have little knowledge of exactly where they are in the case of an emergency. Nothing wrong in that sometimes I would have to think twice as to exactly where I am if I had to advise the emergency services.

The question that I would like to ask is that do the emergency services have the ability to identify the exact location of the mobile phone which has made the call.

Andrew

[grendel]

999 emergency can trace the call, if you phone 111 for a medical emergency - they cannot trace your call (my daughter works on the 111 phones) 

if they transfer a call to 999 the first words are 'dont trace this call' or the 999 service will send a callout to their office not the person in trouble.

[Bound2Please]

Or most modern phones can show long / lat on them, so you can tell them even if you havnt a clue they will know exactly with those co-ordinates 

Charlie

[Wussername]

Very interesting Grendel and worth knowing.

Re Lat/Long Bound2Please I shall have to find a suitable app for my wife. Anything more complicated would cause a problem. Computer's and mobile phones are to her one of life's hidden mysteries.  

Incidentally I can remember talking to the crew of the SOB two years ago. I was asking them about the co-ordinates on the BA signs at Reedham. I was informed that they don't use them and did not have the facility on the boat to make use of them. They received instructions from control on where to go by radio.

Andrew

[HemsbyPie]

4 hours ago, Wussername said:

I know where I am anywhere on the broads. I know where I have come from and I know where I am going. Many holiday makers do not. Some do not know where they have been, have a rough idea where they are going but have little knowledge of exactly where they are in the case of an emergency. Nothing wrong in that sometimes I would have to think twice as to exactly where I am if I had to advise the emergency services.

Andrew

That's all well and good but you may have missed the point a little.

The issue isn't about you knowing exactly where you are (although that obviously helps), it's about the emergency services despatcher who may not always necessarily know that where you're moored isn't easily accessible by land.

Someone falls over, hurts themselves and automatically ask for an ambulance. Ambulance gets sent, then on arrival can't access the vessel and asks for assistance. All that time wasted because the casualty asked for ambulance and not coastguard.

I personally saw this happen at least 4 times last year.

[Wussername]

I believe that by default, all emergency incidents on the river, on the broads, be referred to the coastguard. I believe that the coastguard, the Hembsy Boat, are best suited to deal with such incidents. 

 I have every confidence in that such an action should be implemented immediately with regard to any emergency calls and that the coastguard's decision with regard to an appropriate response should have precedence over the other services. 

I also believe that it should be the coastguard service, with their unique knowledge and experience of the area are better placed to advise the other services.

But I do stand by that which I have already mentioned. They have to know exactly where you are.

Andrew

 

[ExMemberBobdog]

Hemsby Pie is correct, you need to specifically ask for the coastguard when you dial 999.  There is no automatic referral to them if you ask for one of the other services, and delays may ensue in getting the help needed.  At all BA moorings, on their signage, and in all BA publications that address safety the message is quite clear; in an emergency, dial 999, and ask for The Coastguard.

[MauriceMynah]

I have to admit I'm still very confused about this. Lets say I'm moored at Coltishall common. What sort of emergency would the coastguard have to offer that any one of the other emergency services could not provide, possibly even faster, yet the Free 24 hour mooring sign tells me to call the coastguard in an emergency.

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, I am genuinely confused.

[HemsbyPie]

On 30/04/2017 at 8:46 AM, MauriceMynah said:

I have to admit I'm still very confused about this. Lets say I'm moored at Coltishall common. What sort of emergency would the coastguard have to offer that any one of the other emergency services could not provide, possibly even faster, yet the Free 24 hour mooring sign tells me to call the coastguard in an emergency.

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, I am genuinely confused.

 

As with everything in life, common sense must prevail. 

 

So if, for example, you're moored up at a pub and you fall getting off the boat, there is clear easy access for paramedics then ask for an ambulance. 

 

If you're moored up river half a mile and there is limited/no access then ask for Coastguard. 

 

If in doubt then ask for Coastguard.

[thingamybob]

On ‎30‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 8:46 AM, MauriceMynah said:

I have to admit I'm still very confused about this. Lets say I'm moored at Coltishall common. What sort of emergency would the coastguard have to offer that any one of the other emergency services could not provide, possibly even faster, yet the Free 24 hour mooring sign tells me to call the coastguard in an emergency.

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, I am genuinely confused.

I believe they have a RIB that they can deploy, no doubt an ambulance will be dispatched automatically anyway.

[HemsbyPie]

1 hour ago, thingamybob said:

I believe they have a RIB that they can deploy, no doubt an ambulance will be dispatched automatically anyway.

Who do?

[thingamybob]

1 hour ago, HemsbyPie said:

Who do?

When I said "they" I was referring to the Coastguard/Hembsby Lifeboat.

Please clarify the situation as to if I am correct, after all in an inland water rescue a RIB would be somewhat useful would it not?

 

[ExMemberBobdog]

Hemsby Lifeboat folk have a vessel on trailer specifically for Broads rescues, but it's not a RIB. Hemsby Lifeboat are not part of the Coastguard service, they respond to Coastguard requests for assistance.  Hemsby Pie is the expert here, look at his avatar picture ... he's one of the Hemsby Lifeboat crew!

[HemsbyPie]

1 hour ago, Bobdog said:

Hemsby Lifeboat folk have a vessel on trailer specifically for Broads rescues, but it's not a RIB. Hemsby Lifeboat are not part of the Coastguard service, they respond to Coastguard requests for assistance.  Hemsby Pie is the expert here, look at his avatar picture ... he's one of the Hemsby Lifeboat crew!

Coastguard have jurisdiction for SAR operations on the Norfolk Broads. They have access to emergency services and assets (Hemsby Lifeboat is one of these assets).

Coastguard don't actually operate a lifeboat, but they do have local rescue teams who will coordinate the various services in an emergency. 

Last year the Hemsby broads lifeboat was called out by Coastguard around 30 times (this is a dedicated boat for the Broads, they also operate a separate inshore lifeboat)

[MauriceMynah]

Thank you for that clarification HP, all is clear to me now.

[thingamybob]

5 hours ago, Bobdog said:

Hemsby Lifeboat folk have a vessel on trailer specifically for Broads rescues, but it's not a RIB.

Thanks for that Bobdog. What more can I say?