Coastguard Crucial Crew Event

Isle of Man College 25 -29 June 2012

On 25th June 2012 Isle of Man Coastguard will take part in the annual Crucial Crew event at Isle of Man College. This event is for children starting secondary school and is aimed at giving them a range of safety information including inland and coastal water safety information. Over the years it has been well supported by schools and has proved to be an enjoyable and informative event.

The information given at Crucial Crew events has been used to good effect in recent weeks when four young people in two separate incidents remembered what they had been told when they found themselves cut-off by rising tides. Their 999 telephone calls were handled by Doulas Marine Operations Centre who alerted Isle of Man Coastguard teams to rescue them. One rescue was carried out by Ramsey Coastguard team using their dinghy and the other involved the Peel Coastguard team and Peel lifeboat.

Incidents

At 5.05pm on 4th April a 999 call was received by the Marine Operation Centre in Douglas. The call was from a 14 year old girl, who along with her 13 year old friend had become trapped by the incoming tide near to the old swimming baths located North of Peel. Peel Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked to find the girls and the Coastguard Duty Officer contacted the girls to reassure them help was on the way and to give them advice on staying safe while help was on the way.

At 5.37pm Peel Coastguard Team located the two girls at the bottom of a sheer cliff at the Stack. The decision was taken not to recover the girls up the cliff, which would only cause more anxiety to them. Instead the decision was taken to launch Peel Lifeboat to recover them from the bottom of the cliff. Peel Lifeboat reached the girls position and by 6.07pm they were recovered back to Peel to their parents.

On the 17th March two 15 year boys became stranded by the incoming tide at Port Lewaigue, Maughold. Their 999 telephone call was also handled by Douglas Marine Operations Centre which alerted the Ramsey Coastguard team. They rescued the boys their inflatable dinghy.

Crucial Crew

The Crucial Crew event first began in 1992 and over a five day period includes safety presentations from the IOM Coastguard, IOM Fire & Rescue Service, St John’s Ambulance, DOI Road Safety Team, Manx Electricity Authority and Manx Gas to around 800 children.

In the incidents on 17th March and 4th April the young people involved remembered the lessons they had learnt from the ‘Crucial Crew’ event held every year at the IOM College. These talks are aimed at children starting secondary school. During the talks the children are told about the dangers of inland and tidal waters. They are also shown how to make a structured 999 call, which includes the four W’s, What (has happened), Where (it happened), When (it happened) and Who (you are and telephone number).

For further information – Colin Finney 686916