WEATHER CONDITIONS COMPLICATE RESCUE AT NCI CALSHOT

4th January 2018. When a watch keeper at NCI Calshot had a heart problem while on duty at the top of the tower, an intense rescue effort ensued. The other members of the watch followed the required procedures with First Aider's caring for their college while assistance was requested from the Ambulance service and HM Coastguard advised that the NCI Calshot watch station would be closing.

The tower is registered as an unusual building requiring the attendance of the hazardous area rescue team (HART).  Paramedics and ambulances arrived and confirmed that the HART team's presence was essential.  However the team was already committed to another incident, so the assistance of the Fire Service was requested and a high reach platform and equipment support unit was dispatched.  Unfortunately, due to the high winds the platform could not be used and the Fire Service Urban Rescue Team (URT), who had just completed a training day, were dispatched along with local fire crews.  The parking area in front of the Tower rapidly took on the appearance of an emergency services vehicle gathering.

Whilst Paramedics were stabilising the casualty the URT set up a series of rope's and stretcher to lower the casualty down the inside of the tower as the gusting winds were too high to lower him down on the outside. The watch keeper was gently lowered down to the waiting Ambulance and conveyed to Southampton General Hospital. By early evening he was laying in bed chatting to his wife after having a blockage removed from his heart and a stent inserted and was looking forward to returning to looking out over the views of the Solent and watch keeping. 

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About

Currently almost 60 National Coastwatch stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteer watchkeepers around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Filey in North Yorkshire. 

National Coastwatch watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. They are trained to deal with emergencies offering a variety of skills and experience, and full training by the National Coastwatch ensures that high standards are met.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The words National Coastwatch Institution and Eyes Along the Coast and the NCI logos are Registered Trademarks of NCI.

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