PENARTH LIFEBOAT STATION UPDATE

Who would have predicted at the start of the year that this spring and summer time would see the UK in lockdown as a result of COVID-19? I think it is fair to say that we are all struggling with the practicalities of living under lockdown, at a time when many of us would like to be making the most of school holidays and the good weather.

For the volunteer crew members and supporters at RNLI Penarth Lifeboat Station, COVID-19 has brought its own challenges. The most important thing for us is to maintain our operational services, with the aim of saving lives at sea. If our pagers activate we will respond and our lifeboats will launch. We’ve thought very carefully about the arrangements for accessing the lifeboat station, making sure we can launch, without bringing excess crew together. We have the equipment we need to manage shouts and protect our crew members and any casualties we treat.

We have, however, had to curtail practical training sessions, though as a crew we remain in touch via teleconferencing and online training exercises.

Any lifeboat call will put additional pressure on RNLI volunteers and other front line emergency services as well as potentially exposing them to COVID-19. Whilst we normally love to see people enjoying our coast, at this time we do not recommend that this exercise is on or in the sea.

We know people who live at the coast still want to exercise by the sea, but when you do this, please think of the potential impact of your actions. While you could be fully competent and may never need to be rescued, by going out on the water you could encourage others who are less proficient to take part in similar activities.

Our safety advice for those who do venture out to the coast remains the same: ✓ Take care near cliffs. Know your route and your limitations. ✓ Check the weather forecast and tide times. ✓ If you fall into the water unexpectedly

FLOAT TO LIVE. Fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back, extend your arms and legs, and float. ✓ In any coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.

One of the biggest challenges the RNLI, as a charity, faces is our ability to fundraise, which has been has been severely impacted. This could be the biggest storm the RNLI has ever faced. If people feel compelled to show their support from home, we ask them to help by giving something that keeps our volunteers ready to launch, replaces worn-out kit or helps us repair a lifeboat. To support our lifesavers, go to www.rnli.org/donate

Words by Andy Berry, Penarth Lifeboat Station Shore Crew and Press Officer