Names have been changed to protect the innocent!

Checking the kit took about an hour and a half at the CRE last night. As we are nearing the end of September, November checked the kit with Oscar, who was not grouchy. Lima tried on a kit harness, Bravo made some tea and did some general fix-ificating of stuff, while Foxtrot and Alpha got Henry (who is a hoover) to clean the MRU - which was full of biscuit crumbs. And Mike, if you need a hand plumbing give us a shout.

Hopefully that is all nice and clear.

The Hoover - Call Sign: Henry

Kit Night

It's kit night tonight.

Not the most interesting of tasks, but very necessary to ensure the kit is all in tip top condition and that everyone knows where that kit is on the van. This usually takes a good hour but we can normally rattle through it quicker especially with Tom doing the bookkeeping – ticking off the items in our record book so that the HM Coastguard Inspectors can see we’ve done it properly.

And afterwards a chat and some biscuits.

Ozmington Rockett

Our very own action hero dressed to impress. Pink shirt, nice.

Above: Austen dressed like a merchant banker

Remember only real men real pink…..well that’s what Austen says.

Its Dark

This week's training was out on the cliffs and in the dark. A full test of the teams ability to work in the dark and brush up on the rope work ready for an assessment again in October.

Return to normal

Thankfully all was calm this morning, no extra alarm call at 07.46 like yesterday.

Some in the town might have notice 5 Coastguard's, several Police Officers all walking rather oddly this morning, as many people walked quite a few miles during yesterdays search and whilst thankfully the weather was good the terrain we were searching was difficult.

But yet again it shows how good the community of Swanage pulls together in an emergency, Coastguard, Police, Lifeboat, Dorsar, and many local people who did their bit, searching their own properties to providing tea to the search units.

Thank you

How to Search

The DSO (Deputy Station Officer) Austen has today been renamed the BSO (Bacon Sandwich Officer). Somehow during the lengthy search this morning Austen managed to ‘acquire’ 6 bacon sandwiches with brown sauce. Now this is not something you shout across the radio channels, so a cryptic “Alpha, this is Bravo, I have found something that may be of interest” was issued; - the codeword for bacon sarnies.

Joking apart, one of the key things in productive searching is to keep the team briefed and fed and watered. Searches of defined areas are undertaken and after an hour of intensive searching your brain is fried; a quick 10 minutes to regroup, recharge and take on water and be re-tasked before we go again. This leads to a far more effective search, and allows the team to go on searching for hours.

You check everywhere, under boats, behind beach huts, in bushes, under trees, up trees, and try and get into the mind of the casualty. Would they be cold? Where would they shelter? Which way is the wind blowing? Which side of the hedge would you shelter? Is the casualty actually capable of rational decisions? If they had fallen at this point where would they have landed? Why have they gone missing? Where do they usually go? Am I putting myself in danger searching this area? And why is Eric sat in the truck with the air-conditioning while I swelter on the cliffs?

Then you get the call you’ve been waiting for ‘MisPer found’ (Missing Person); it’s an anticlimax but fantastic news!!….you know you’ve done something good for the community and someone goes home to their family.

Back to the coastguard station, sort the kit, a quick debrief/analysis of the search, and everyone goes back to their normal places of work. Job done.

Search - Missing Person

Swanage Coastguard Team were called at 7:30 to search for a missing person in the Durlston area of Swanage.

After a lengthy search involving the Swanage Coastguard Team, Swanage Lifeboat, Dorsar and the Police, the missing person was thankfully found.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4646141.Missing_Swanage_pensioner_found_safe_and_well/

This was one of the team's biggest and most intensive searches for a number of years. A big thanks also to St Albans Coastguard Team for turning out a big team at a short notice.

More later.....

Team effort

Going back to the incident on Sunday at Dancing Ledge, something we cant show you is the Ambulance staff as they were treating the casualty and we have a policy not to show casualties.

Southwestern Ambulance staff are an important part of many of our incidents, without them and there expertise the casualties wouldn't have a good start to recovery let alone survive.

Bad News Day

Sadly a man has died after a cliff fall over at Portland.

http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnews/4641130.Man_is_killed_in_Portland_cliff_plunge_tragedy/


While 'Gilbert' the Bottle Nosed Whale was found washed up on Alum Chine, Bournemouth.

http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnews/4639574.Gilbert_the_whale_has_died/

Helicopter Medivac 6-versus-60

A busy Sunday across the sector for HM Coastguard.

Firstly Swanage Team were called out to Dancing Ledge to assist with a walker who had fallen badly and suffered head injuries. As a precaution South West Ambulance asked that he was flown by Coastguard Helicopter Rescue-104 To Poole.

Later in the day the Lulworth Team dealt with a rock fall in the cove that badly injured two children. A Coastguard Helicopter and Dorset Air Ambulance were again in action.

http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnews/4639672.Airlift_for_boy_in_Lulworth_rock_fall_horror/

We hope all involved make a full and speedy recovery.

What both these accidents demonstrate is how vital the helicopter is, providing quick 'medivac' to hospital. The chap who fell at Dancing Ledge was at the Whitecliffe landing site to be met by Poole Coastguard within 6 minutes and in Poole Accident and Emergency a few minutes later. It would have taken us twenty minutes at best to get him to the top of the cliff and then 10 minutes to get the ambulance over the rough ground before the 30 minute trip to Poole.

6 minutes versus 60 minutes – with a head injury time is crucial.

Above: Rescue 104 at Ballard Down last year.

Medivac / Medevac :- Medical Evacuation.

Location Location Location...

Popped over to Haying Island the other day, a place near Portsmouth. Went down to the seafront and saw the Coastguard Station. A great location but looks like the building gets a battering; mmm a lick of paint is defo needed.

Still it’s sat right on the beach, they have a purpose built bar-b-que outside, a choo choo train that runs alongside …..and the best bit…. their own fish and chip shop.

Told you it was a great location location location.

-----------------------------------

Tomorrow’s blog will be on plumbing…yes plumbing. Namely how to fit a new bathroom. It appears from a 9.00am text from team member Terry that he is having difficulties in the waterworks department... well fitting a new bathroom himself. In fact from his text it sounded like there might be a catastrophic failure of his patience at about 11.00, followed by water squirting out everywhere and the kitchen ceiling collapsing.

So compression joints -versus- push fit -versus- solder joints will be tomorrows discussion topic.

The Power

Going on from yesterday's bit on the Coastguard, perhaps it would be good to explain how the Coastguard gets its "power" to carry out its duties.

I found the following from the main MCA website;

The Government of the United Kingdom assumes responsibility for civilian Search and Rescue (SAR) within the UK and its aviation and maritime Search and Rescue Regions. The maritime responsibility arises from the UK Government's acceptance of the Convention of the High Seas 1958, of the International Conventions of safety of life at Sea 1960 and 1974, and the of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue 1979 (as amended). The lead Government Department for UKSAR is the department of Transport (DfT) which delegates the authority for responding to maritime incidents to HM Coastguard by the authority of the Coastguard Act 1925.

HM Coastguard is an on call emergency organisation responsible for the initiation and co ordination of all civilian maritime SAR within the UK Maritime Search and Rescue Region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or person at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom.

So yes "HM Coastguard" is a Government department, not a charity (That's the RNLI who get tasked by the Coastguard). However HM Coastguard does have its own rescue teams (401 teams) who are classed as volunteers (like us based at North Beach Car Park).

So can I make it clear as asked yesterday....."how much did we make at our summer BBQ?" THAT WASN'T THE COASTGUARD THAT WAS THE RNLI!

We are funded from central Government, not Dorset County Council,Purbeck District Council or by charity funds. im afraid its your taxes that pay for us.

999

I've just read on the main MCA website that a dive boat capsized off Portland Bill this afternoon throwing the 3 persons into the water. The Coastguard helicopter was overhead in 10 minutes and confirmed no one was missing.

However what was worrying was that the Coastguard Operations Room at Weymouth (Portland Coastguard) took just one 999 call from the public, despite being in this popular area.

Perhaps people just didn't see it? Perhaps they were unsure what was going on? Perhaps people still don't know who to call?

I'm still surprised that people don't know who is responsible for maritime rescues along our coastline, despite programmes like sea side rescue. We get asked where our boats are? (a lot of confusion between the Coastguard and the RNLI) well its simple ready.......

The Coastguard are the coordinators of search and rescue around the UK coastline (about 10400 miles), this means helicopters don't get scrambled lifeboats don't get launched and Coastguard Rescue teams don't go out if the Coastguard don't coordinate the incident, however of course to co ordinate a rescue we need to know about it and that's why you as the public play a vital part in any rescue, its simple "999 and ask for Coastguard", don't think someone else will call. someone might lose their live if there is a delay.

Whats going on?

Well I'm pleased to report not a lot! Now the children have returned to school, visitor numbers have dropped away and with this strong easterly blowing in Swanage, a lot of boats have taken shelter away from Swanage.

Else where there was an incident in Poole Harbour last night with two boats hitting each other, thankfully that wasn't as serious as 1st thought.

But you never know so work continues and it means a return to the paper work side of the Coastguard, and do they like paperwork!

Austen has just finished the "Coastguard of the year award" so hopefully that will be attached to the wall in the next few days.

So sorry to the regular readers......I'm doing as much as I can to find something to write about but there isn't.

I shall ask Tom, "mystic meg/grim reaper" Simmons when our next incident will occur and will update you all.

Toot Toot – The Waverley in Swanage

The Waverley has been visiting Swanage over the last ten days or so. The last sea going Paddlesteamer in the world! One of the team had a lovely day on a trip down to Lulworth Cove. Very relaxing.

There are three bars, which is nice, along with a clonking big engine.

Nice to see her, hopefully she’ll be back next year.


More here:-

http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/

and here:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS_Waverley

History

One little project which is on going at the station is gathering the stations history.




I was recently sent this picture.

I'm guessing it was a display of the team, carnival?

Left to right.....Mike Williamson, ? , Bill Talman, Jack Ford, ? , ?.

I believe its important to record these things for the benefit of the team and community, with a little more research and the help of a retired member I'm sure the names of all of them will be found out.

We welcome any old pictures or information.

Training

Last night we headed up towards Ballard for some driving training.

With a 4x4 driving instructor on board we were shown how to deal with driving up steep hill, stalling and then safely reversing back down the hill.

This was OK except for the cows who also showed an interest in events

A year on

Today is one year on from the start of the new building (can we still call it new?)

Exactly one year ago today, the contractors turned up and put the fencing up to start the project.

How time flies but we move on and hopefully over the winter there will be some minor things done to the station to improve it even further.

The toilets although nothing to do with the Coastguard other than being part of the building need to be resolved and we shall be pressing the relevant people so we don't get the mess we have been have around the back of the building.

The garage floor will hopefully be coated with a resin so it can be swept or washed out, and then some minor repairs here and there.

One thing we have noticed is the number of visitors we get popping in which is great, no one ever came in at Peveril Point, perhaps the recycling site has its advantages up there???

A departure

We are sad to report that Paul Brassington (one of the team's Paramedics) has stood down from the Coastguard team after seven years of service.

The good news is Paul will continue to part of our Responder scheme which is quietly coming together behind the Coastguard team.

Paul brought some very special skills to the team and was always handy to reach those high shelves or items that a short Station Officer just couldn't reach.

From the team, a very big thank you.

Toffee Crisp and Training

Ian has eaten all the Toffee Crisps – the evidence is in his draw. He claims we have ‘stitched him right up’ but that defence is hardly likely to stand up in court. We are now re-thinking whether we actually have the right man when it comes to the Subway Sandwich Monster.




It might be that Ian conveniently ‘found’ the empty subway wrappers after eating them himself and has tried to unfairly pin the blame on poor Austen.

The plot thickens…..

Meanwhile summer is over…. we thinks?! The jobs normally tail off now, but we’ll see.

This will hopefully leave time to find a new Coastguard Rescue Officer and train them over the autumn and winter months in time for next season…..oh …and the team to refresh cliff rescue skills and first aid.

Shut the window!

Note to myself.......

When washing the vehicle with the hosepipe remember to shut the passenger’s side window.


This explains why the water went into the cabin.……ooops.

Ssssh don’t tell the boss.

Is summer over?

With the children returning to school tomorrow, the sky's are grey and the patrols not seeing alot of people, is the summer over?

Saturday's patrol had nothing to report, so its down to the Sunday crew to find something!

Saturday Patrol

Austen and I are out on Patrol in 30 mins. Lets see what's happening, looks a bit overcast so probably be a quiet afternoon. No doubt he'll want to stop for a sandwich.

New feature

Well folks, after a year of planning, Swanage got another brief attraction at North Beach car park,

Yes a boating lake........

Thankfully CRO's Thompson, Simmons, Station Officer and Deputy Station Officer found the plug and the water went down as quick as it came up.

Coastguard Rescue Officer

You may have seen the podcast about the Coastguard in the last few days?

The team has a vacancy coming up and we would like to hear from anyone between the ages of 18 and 65, in good health and who wants to play a part in our local community.

If you are interested and would like more details please email us at

Stationofficer@swanagecoastguard.org.uk

With your name, address and a contact number and we will give you a ring to discuss.

Please note, Coastguard Rescue Officers are subject to a CRB checks (Criminal Records Checks) and medicals

Podcast Video 3 – Mud Rescue

…and another one. (Although we don’t do mud!)


Above: PR Event

“Coastguard Rescue Officers are volunteers who serve HM Coastguard. They give their time and skills to provide a coastal emergency response service. In this podcast we see a team putting their training to use in a mud rescue exercise.”

Mud Rescue:
http://www.vnrs.co.uk/mca/video/pod020.wmv

Are you interested in being a Coastguard Rescue Officer? You could learn a range of new skills and gets specialist training in a variety of search and rescue methods which depends on the needs of your local area. The role of helping people can be physically and emotionally demanding, but very rewarding. So being able to work under pressure and as part of a team are vitally important.

If you are interested in joining the Coastguard Rescue Service, or if you have questions about what it means to be a Coastguard Rescue Officer, then you should contact your local Coastguard Sector Manager, or Station Officer.

If you are interested and would like more details please email us at:-

Stationofficer@swanagecoastguard.org.uk

With your name, address and a contact number and we will give you a ring to discuss.

The Swanage Subway Sandwich Monster ...Caught Red Handed

Readers from yesterday will know about our monster mystery. Sadly Scooby Doo was not available (Partly due to possible copyright infringement) so we’ve had to solve this one ourselves.



We set a trap last night – A ‘Sub of the Day’, a 12” Meatball Mariana with drink, was left resting on the front step. This morning it was gone….only a wrapper left, along with a dollop of mayonnaise and a smidgeon of lettuce.

Ian nervously checked back the recording on the video cameras sited around the back of the station and we think we might just have caught him.

Yes readers, we have a photo of the Swanage Subway Sandwich Monster making his escape.....

Above:-The Swanage Subway Sandwich Monster hot footing it across the Ulwell Stream.

We are obviously looking for a big, hairy chap.

Well it’s not me for starters
It’s not got a scooter – so it ain’t Ian
It’s not covered in paint – so it ain’t Tom
It’s not on a bike – so it ain’t Paul Brown

Must think harder.

It’s not in an ambulance – so it ain’t Paul Brassington
It’s not racing around at 100mph – so that’s Mr Bentham ruled out
It’s not on a boat - so it ain’t Steve

mmm

It’s not playing golf, badly - so it ain’t Eric
It’s not with a young lady, - so that’s Rid ruled out
It’s not wearing a leather biker hat with studs and a chain?!- so it ain’t Brian, or big Brian
It’s definitely not wearing my coat – so it ain’t that rascal Terry either.

I’ve run out of suspects

…..oh no… there is one chap that fits the bill!

The Abominable AusMonster!

Disclaimer: There are lots of nice takeaways in Swanage, including other specialist sandwich shops.

The Swanage Subway Sandwich Monster Mystery

Well we’ve got a right old mystery going on down at the station.

Someone, or something, has been coming in at lunchtimes and eating a ‘Subway’- a 6 inch Spicy Italian we think. What’s more they had a drink with it.

Two days in a row now!

Who could it be?!?

Ketchup on the desk?

Crumbs on the floor?

Sticky door handle?

It’s a real mystery!

Who is the Swanage Subway Sandwich Monster?

Best put Scooby Doo on the case.

We'll set a trap....and catch him.

Podcast Video 2 - Search and Rescue

...another Podcast from the MCA.

Above: Search for injured cyclist.

"Coastguard Rescue Officers are volunteers who serve HM Coastguard. They give their time and skills to provide a coastal emergency response service. In this podcast we see a team putting their training to use in a search rescue exercise."

Search and Rescue:

http://www.vnrs.co.uk/mca/video/pod021.wmv

Are you interested in being a Coastguard Rescue Officer? You could learn a range of new skills and gets specialist training in a variety of search and rescue methods which depends on the needs of your local area. The role of helping people can be physically and emotionally demanding, but very rewarding. So being able to work under pressure and as part of a team are vitally important

If you are interested in joining the Coastguard Rescue Service, or if you have questions about what it means to be a Coastguard Rescue Officer, then you should contact your local Coastguard Sector Manager, or Station Officer.

If you are interested and would like more details please email us at:-

Stationofficer@swanagecoastguard.org.uk

With your name, address and a contact number and we will give you a ring to discuss.

Podcast Video 1 - Cliff Rescue

Here’s a Podcast from the MCA - explaining what we do.

Cliff Rescue:
http://www.vnrs.co.uk/mca/video/pod018.wmv

Are you interested in being a Coastguard Rescue Officer? You could learn a range of new skills and gets specialist training in a variety of search and rescue methods which depends on the needs of your local area. The role of helping people can be physically and emotionally demanding, but very rewarding. So being able to work under pressure and as part of a team are vitally important

If you are interested in joining the Coastguard Rescue Service, or if you have questions about what it means to be a Coastguard Rescue Officer, then you should contact your local Coastguard Sector Manager, or Station Officer.

If you are interested and would like more details please email us at:-

Stationofficer@swanagecoastguard.org.uk

With your name, address and a contact number and we will give you a ring to discuss.