Casualty recovery / handling

A surfer being swept out to sea in a rip tide.

A woman falling overboard a yacht.

These are just some of the types of callouts that SSILB receive, when a person is in trouble in the water, they are using strength to keep themselves afloat, with time the person will get tired, not just from keeping themselves afloat, but also the conditions of the weather and temperature of the water.

If the person is injured this can also add to the amount of time that they can keep themselves afloat and if the person is unconscious then it's a race against the clock.

  - The following photo's are taken from a training exercise involving a volunteer casualty - Dan.

- The casualty was not injured or in distress or in any need of assistance - THIS WAS A TRAINING EXERCISE.

Thank you Dan for your help as the surfer in distress.

A wind surfer is out with some friends, he surfs some distance away from his friends, he loses his balance and falls into the water.

The surfer has fallen from his wind surfing board and the sail has come down onto his head.

The surfer can not get back onto the wind surfing board, he is afloat, but has now drifted away from his wind surfing board and is now suffering from mild hypothermia.

A member of the public had seen the accident happen from the beach and has phoned the Coastguard.

Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat has been tasked to a surfer in difficulty in Sandown Bay.

 Once on the scene the crew has to work fast to recover the casualty from the water.

Once onboard the Lifeboat, the casualty is asked if he has any injuries, the casualty informs the crew member that the sail pole from his wind surfing board had hit him on his head, the crew member checks over the casualty and makes the discussion to place the casualty onto a stretcher to help support his head and body from over movement.

The  coxswain contacts the Coast Guard, informing them that the casualty is being taken back to the Lifeboat Station and an Ambulance is needed on scene.

The casualty is held into place by the two crew members for the journey back to the Lifeboat Station.

 Once back onshore, the casualty is checked over again to make sure that he is secure for the transfer from Lifeboat to shore.

The casualty is then transferred to the paramedics for further treatment and if needed taken to hospital.