Search planning

Its a cold night and the team has been called to search for an overdue walker.

Once on station a search plan has to be created in conjunction with the National maritime operations centre.

Maps are checked , details are checked , a casualty profile is created and checked with the search manual before teams are briefed and sent on their way to search.




Search teams are updated and checked everyone 15 minutes and process marked on a map.

Thankfully 40 minutes into the search the missing person is found with a broken leg and first aid is given.




Thankfully this was just an exercise but the team continues to train in search planning and searching.

Large Search finds male

Three Coastguard teams were tasked today to assist Dorset Police in searching the Purbeck Coastline for a missing male.

The search started in the Kimmeridge area with the local team backed up by the St Albans team but the search area was increased and the Swanage team were tasked to search from Anvil Point to Dancing Ledge.

Just before 3pm a member of the public reported seeing the male in Worth and the team along with Police located the male heading to Winspit.

Major search for missing Swanage resident.

Dorset Police requested assistance from the Coastguard in the search for a missing Swanage lady.

The volunteers from the Swanage Coastguard Team along with the St Albans Team from Worth were tasked at 02.45 to search the coastal area.

Teams were deployed to search areas from Studland to Durlston and were joined by volunteers of both Swanage RNLI lifeboats which carried out an offshore search from Old Harry Rocks to Durlston Head.

Having searched several areas the teams were rested at 05.30 before being sent out again at first light to search further areas.

Teams continued to search till around 10.30 when a passing vessel discovered a body in the sea off St Albans Head.

Volunteers from the Swanage RNLI inshore lifeboat along with a Dorset Police Marine Officer were tasked to meet the vessel. Dorset Police have now confirmed the body is that of the missing lady from Swanage.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends.

Saturday's Search

The BBC Website is reporting some sad news tonight following Saturday's search which involved several Coastguard teams and Lifeboat crews on both sides of the Solent.

As we said earlier in the week, if you're planning to go to sea (particularly on your own)

• Always wear a life jacket and proper equipment.
• Check the weather and sea conditions before setting off.
• Ensure you know your limitations.
• Have a VHF radio
• Carry flares

And its never a bad idea to let the Coastguard know when you are leaving, where you are making for and your ETA.

Missing Person - found safe and well

The IRT assisted Dorset Police this afternoon in a search for a missing male from the town.

With the hours of daylight limited and the predicted weather forecast, the team deployed using defined search patterns - thankfully the male was located safe by Police Officers about 4 miles from his home.

****************************************************************************

As the bad weather continues perhaps we can remind readers to check on any vulnerable neighbours or relatives. Whilst we do not have snow and ice (yet) working with our Partner Agencies we encourage people just to help and support each other.
Perhaps check they have enough shopping - couple of extra tins of soup in the cupboard for example.
Check they are warm and not using heating appliances which are dangerous.
If they need to go out, perhaps you can help with a lift, strong winds can be dangerous with items blowing around in the street.

Helping each other helps us as Emergency Services and Partner Agencies help those at greatest risk.

Heat Camera

Here's some photos from the search exercise the other night. Wet windy and dark, and slippy underfoot made this a tricky exercise.

The casualty was 'hiding' in a valley near Tilly Whim caves. After about 20 minutes of searching the first team managed to get a small 'contact' of reflective fabric using a high powered LED torch. A slight movement allowed the team to decide to investigate further. Given the topography a second team were called down to the far side of the valley and conned onto the contact position.

At night, at a distance it was hard to see what was going on.

Reflective Jackets (what you can't see is how close they are to a rocky drop off)

The first search team had the heat camera which is far more effective than an infrared night sight.

Dee used this to film the action.

It's hard to convey in photos how useful the heat camera is! You can pick up a rabbit in the dark at 250m., it's that sensitive.

In this search it allowed us to cover a hours worth of ground in under 10 minutes. On a cold night that could be the difference between a successful recovery, or a fatality.

...sadly its only on test and has been passed back to the manufacturer. It's £6k of equipment, which in the current economic climate, means we will have to do without.

Saturday Night Search

The Swanage Coastguard Team were tasked early yesterday evening to search for a male, age 74 who had gone missing earlier in the day. Austen (DSO) took charge and devised a search plan taking account of the information provided.


Three search units deployed to the coastline.

Search Team 1 (The Coastguard MRU) were tasked to the Studland Chain Ferry and then proceeded south along the beach, and up onto Old Harry and Ballard.

Search Team 2 deployed from The Grand Hotel northwards along the beach, while Search Team 3 went south along the seafront, through town and onto Peveril Point.  The teams combined to search through The Downs; on completion we were given the stand-down, as the man had been found safe and well inland at Valley Road.

Depending on the tasking we either deploy quickly to make a ‘Hasty Search’ of key areas  (For instance when a despondent person may cause themselves self harm) , this is done almost running and covering as much ground as quickly and safely as possible. Or the case of a potentially vulnerable adult we undertake a ‘Meaningful Wander’ slightly less risk to ourselves and slower and more methodical.

It was also an opportunity to test out the new torches, which performed well.

Busy Sunday

Sunday of the Bank Holiday weekend started quiet for the team....

The local knowledge training team ('patrol' for the old school) reported nothing, except for a win for the pink ferret at the Studland Country Fair and a chat with the lifeboat Coxwain about lifeboat week.

But then at 5pm, it all kicked off: Firstly a report of a jogger en route from Lulworth to Swanage, overdue by 3 hours. Initially an IRT job, this soon developed into a BURT (full team) search along the cliffs to the west of the lighthouse. Teams further along at St Albans, Kimmeridge and Lulworth got involved too.

Search Teams deployed on the higher and lower paths westwards from the lighthouse. 

(Photo Courtesy Of: The Swanage Shadow)

At 7.30pm just as the team was given the nod to stand down (casualty reported safe and well in Swanage) another walker in the same area reported two missing 16 year old males, missing for approximately an hour an a half. The full team regrouped and set about another search; again all ended safe and well.

Finally the IRT have been out again tonight, responding to reports of unidentified red and white lights on the cliff. A thorough search revealed two hikers, bedding down in bivvy bags, using torches to read their maps and guides for tomorrow. Again, both safe and well, but both thankful that someone had seen their lights and had bothered to call 999 just in case.

I wonder what Bank Holiday Monday will bring?

05:57 Bacon Sarnies, Bears and the Zoo

05:57 Stuffed - (Austen is out of shot getting another round of sardines sarnies in).

As the boss is away we all got up specially this morning to have bacon sarnies and a coffee down at the cafe; naturally we put it on his tab. (Actually we had been searching Studland, Worth Matravers and Studland again for  a missing person since 04:24). The missing person has now been found by Dorset Police, excellent.

The lifeboat chaps turned up to the cafe at 06:41. They gave us some good natured abuse about why they had been tasked to search given the missing person had said he was in a wood and could see the sea. They said they were more than delighted to come along to search the wood in their boats; and that this was an even more enjoyable experience given how early it was....or supportive words to that effect.

Apologies to the campers who were actually in the centre of the wood, wild camping. They were rudely awakened by blue flashing lights, the launch of a para-illuminate flare which after a large bang smoked the place out, followed by people with torches shouting...oh and a helicopter overhead. They were foreign and probably wondered what on earth was going on. 

After waking them, Gareth didn't help the matter by teasing the campers that they needed to be careful camping as there were bears in the wood. 'Three of them, in varying sizes' said Eric. On reflection I think they may have believed us. No really i think they did, oops.

On the way back from the search Brian stated that later in the day he was off to the Zoo; Marwell Zoo. This gave us the opportunity at 05:36 to sing 'Going to the Zoo Tomorrow' - an all time favourite Coastguard tune; although technically speaking he was going today.... not tomorrow.  Naturally as Coastguard officers we are trained to adapt to the demands of a situation and changed the lyrics accordingly.

Brian's taking us to the zoo tomorrow, later today,
Zoo tomorrow later today  zoo tomorrow later today
Brian's taking us to the zoo tomorrow later today
We can stay all day.

We're going to the Marwell zoo, Marwell zoo, Marwell zoo;

How about you, you, you?

You can come too, too, too.

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.

There won't be many times in my life when at 05:34 five grown men in a truck get to sing that song.

Search - Missing Person.

At 18:10 the full Swanage Coastguard Team were tasked to assist Dorset Police in a search for a missing elderly gentleman. Swanage Lifeboat and the Coastguard Helicopter joined the search. He has not been found as yet.

The Coastguard team were stood down at last light and will if tasked, resume the search tomorrow.

Search Update.

Swanage Coastguard deployed a further search team early evening in the Studland area; nothing found.

A keen eyed local person saw the search team's torches and called 999 to report what they believed to be people in danger on the cliffs. After confirming with the team the local MRCC was able to advise her that it was the Coastguard search unit; naturally she was thanked for what was a well intentioned call. Good to know the community are keeping a watch.

As ever if you’re out and about and see something that concerns you please call. If it turns out to be something that wasn’t and the call was well intentioned then that’s absolutely fine.

Search Operations

With the permission of the Portland MRCC Operations Room the Swanage Coastguard Team hope to deploy again late this afternoon / early evening to conduct a further search of the local coastline. Last night the team, who are all volunteers from the local area, searched from Ballard through to Durlston.

The search units work in teams of two or three and wear full protective gear, helmet, gloves, high vis’ waterproofs and reinforced boots etc. HM Coastguard has supplied high intensity LED torches and headlights for night searches and we have night vision capability if necessary. Everywhere is checked, beach huts - within/under/above, larger rubbish bins, under upturned boats, etc.

The search teams follow an ‘ops normal procedure’ whereby they sign in by VHF radio every 15 minutes with the search controller. The current location of each search team is given along details of the area searched and whether the operations are normal or otherwise. Teams are stood down for rest after 2 hours and then back out; on longer searches the team rotate in order that once a search team are tired and less effective they can be refreshed. Using this procedure a team can search effectively for a full day or more.

Our flank teams like St Albans are crucial and provide further support, typically in a full search scenario a team of 25 persons might deploy to the defined search area in about 30 minutes.

Key to an effective search is to remain safe, organised, methodical and thorough.

Blogger- iPhone

Back in Action

The team was back in action on Tuesday night, involved in the search for a male who got seperated from the rest of his party on a walk back from Seacombe to Langton. Unlike the clear cold days of the last month, the weather turned damp yesterday with a heavy mist and this combined with failing light, cold temperatures and slippy conditions served to disorientate the walker who ordinarily knew the area well.

When the alarm was raised, the ops team at Portland Coastguard put their extensive knowledge of the area to good use and directed the search which also involved our coastguard rescue colleagues at St Albans and Dorset Police.

The story had a happy ending when the walker turned up after nearly six hours, cold, wet, tired and very muddy, but otherwise safe and well. If you're planning a walk along the coast path over the next few days, take care -after the recent snow, it's very muddy and slippery and when it's dark and foggy and you're tired, lost and alone it's not the best place to be!

Ferry passenger leaps into the sea.

Full Team Page - Wednesday 1:15am.

So what were the Swanage Coastguard team up to at 1:10am?....well at this time we were all tucked up in our nice warm beds, asleep.

Five minutes later and a full team page was instigated; the tasking – the search and rescue of a number of persons believed to have jumped off the ‘Barfleur’ Cross Channel Ferry into the sea. The Poole Coastguard Team, East Dorset Sector Manager, and Rescue Helicopter 104 were also tasked, along with the RNLI Swanage Lifeboat and Poole Lifeboat.

At the time of tasking a foreign national had been found on the Studland Chain Ferry, it was apparent that he had been in the sea. The person was taken to hospital and subsequently arrested by Police.

Throughout the night the information changed rapidly and it would be fair to say that given the appalling conditions we considered that the chances of survival of any persons in the sea were low. The strong tides in the area also meant that the area of search was extensive and over time this area increased. After an exhaustive search of the shoreline from South Beach, Studland to the Chain Ferry, the Swanage Team regrouped at the Coastguard Station ready for a ‘first light’ search.

At around 5.30pm we were advised that the picture had become slightly clearer with regard the number of persons involved and the teams were stood down.Readers will understand that due to operational reasons we are unable at this stage to report all the details. Perhaps more later.



MCA - News
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/newsandpublications/press-releases.htm?id=0E8F2D6129838729&m=11&y=2009

Other News sites.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8377898.stm

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4758157.Men_jump_off_Poole_ferry/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/immigrants-jump-from-ferry-in-bid-to-enter-uk-1827108.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1230766/Massive-search-illegal-immigrant-jumps-Channel-ferry-arriving-UK-storm.html

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.....