COASTGUARD RESCUE TEAMS ASSIST NHS STAFF

Coastguard Rescue Teams are assisting the NHS throughout the UK to reach their patients through the winter weather conditions of snow and ice. Teams who have been active in the last 12 hours include;

South West
• Bigbury

South East
• Hastings
• Rye Bay
• Needles
• Newport
• Portsmouth

Wales
• Holyhead
• Rhosneigr
• LLandwrog
• Harlech
• Rhossili
• Port Isaac
• Burry Port
• Loughor
• Borth

North West
• Whitehaven

Scotland
• Mallaig
• Stornoway
• Dunvegan
• Benbecula
• Kilchoan
• Kirkwall

These teams of volunteers have been involved in essential drug transfers to and from local hospitals; nursing staff transfers (including midwives) and renal patient transfers. Essential supplies for critically ill patients have been delivered and doctors have been taken by Coastguards to where they are needed in an emergency.

In Wales, Loughor and Rhossili Coastguard Rescue Teams have transported seven key medical staff, including two midwives to Morriston Hospital. Borth Coastguard Rescue Team and Cambrian Sector Manager assisted in the transportation of a duty Doctor from Aberystwyth to work at Dolgellau Hospital. The Doctor was the only one available to cover the area of Machynlleth / Dolgellau. The distance normally is 33 miles, but due to the adverse road conditions they had to travel 53 miles and the journey took three hours to complete.

Earlier today in Devon the Bigbury Coastguard Rescue Team went to the assistance of a 74 year old man who had fallen down stairs in Ringmoor, near Kingsbridge.
On the Shetland Islands Baltasound Coastguard Rescue team are assisting BT engineers to access our Saxa Vord aerial site on the island of Unst, to restore Distress Watch radio coverage.

Rod Johnson, the Chief Coastguard said
"In extreme winter weather our partner emergency services, and local authorities, may need to call on our help to resolve critical or life threatening incidents. To make sure that we respond to these calls and maintain our own state of readiness for maritime emergencies, these requests are routed through the local resilience forum.
The system of call outs have been working well this week and ensuring that Her Majesty’s Coastguard give help where it's needed; when it's needed. "
Notes to Editors
• The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector. http://www.seavisionuk.org/
•  Stay safe - before heading out on the water get trained, check weather and tides, wear a lifejacket, avoid alcohol and keep in touch
• Follow us on Twitter. Find us at MCA_media

For further information please contact
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on:
(023) 8032 9401

Press releases and further information about the Agency is available on the Web at http://www.mcga.gov.uk/

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