What does it feel like to save a life?

Water. Safety. Rescue. Three words that matter to Coastguards and something every new volunteer learns about. And hearing the stories of those who have been at the heart of such rescues makes you understand why.

Volunteers from the Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Team were called in 2011 to rescue someone who was in two metre high waves. The team spread out along a wall in a bid to find him and soon spotted him. 

At that point, Coastguard Rescue Officer Ian Deakin made his way into the water. 


‘When I entered the water the waves were twice my height,’ he said. ‘I needed the whole team to tell me where the casualty was in the water.’

His colleague CRO Peter Leonard said it was frightening to think what would have happened without the Coastguard Rescue Team or the paramedics.

‘The seas were horrendous. We were at the point of pulling Ian back in when we spotted the casualty and signalled to Ian. 
As soon as he had hold of him, he gave the signal and we pulled Ian and the casualty back in as fast as was safe.’

‘Saving someone’s life is a privilege,’ said Peter.

Have you got what it takes to be a Coastguard?
To Search. To Rescue. To Save.


https://www.gov.uk/volunteer-as-a-coastguard/what-to-expect-as-a-volunteer

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