Run on behalf of the Scottish Borders Council, the RNLI service will see two lifeguards patrolling and stationed in a hut on the beach. The lifeguards, Geo Ceccarelli and teenager Jamie Lindsay, will be equipped with the latest water rescue and casualty care equipment, including rescue tubes, spinal boards and defibrillators.
Following a period of intensive training in rescue techniques and casualty care the lifeguards will patrol the beach until 8 September between the hours of 10am and 6pm. The lifeguards are there to provide beach safety advice and first aid to members of the public, as well as assisting anyone who gets into difficulty in the water.
David Gorman, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor at Coldingham Sands, said: ‘I am really pleased to be so heavily involved with establishing and running the RNLI’s first lifeguard service in Scotland.
‘We encourage members of the public to come and say hello to us on the beach, a key role of the lifeguards is to provide beach and water safety advice to beach users.’
Coldingham Sands is flanked by St Abbs lifeboat to the north and Eyemouth lifeboat to the south.
Andy Clift, RNLI Regional Operations Manager for Scotland and England North, said: ‘As the charity that saves lives at sea we now operate 46 lifeboat stations in Scotland and in 2012, Scottish lifeboats launched 1008 times and rescued 1055 people as a result.
‘We are really pleased that we are able to extend our life-saving service and offer a lifeguard service on a Scottish beach, today is a proud day for the RNLI in Scotland.’
There has been a Beach Guard service operating at Coldingham Sands for a number of years prior to the RNLI’s involvement. In 2006 an increase in the number of visitors to the beach prompted an increase in the number of Beach Guards from one to two, and the construction of a new base and look-out for the Guards. This hut is being used by the RNLI lifeguards today.
Councillor Ron Smith, the council's Executive Member for Planning and Environment, welcomed the new lifeguard service: ‘I am delighted to announce that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been contracted to deliver an enhanced seasonal beach lifeguard service at Coldingham Bay.
‘The service is the first to be delivered in Scotland by the RNLI and will run for five years as part of Scottish Borders Council's continued drive to improve services for the 20,000 visitors who visit Coldingham Bay each year.
‘Awarding the contract to a reputable national charity means that visitors will benefit from RNLI beachguards who are fully equipped and regularly trained, who also provide an on-shore and off-shore life saving service.’
Carl Harris, RNLI Lifeguard Manager for North and East, said: ‘Coldingham Sands is not only the first beach to be patrolled by RNLI lifeguards in Scotland but it is the 202nd for the RNLI across the UK and Ireland.’
RNLI Senior Lifeguard Manager Darren Lewis said: ‘Building on the expertise we have developed through 12 years of providing beach patrols, our new lifeguards have been training hard in preparation for the season. They will work closely with our colleagues at the lifeboat station to provide a seamless rescue service from the beach to the open sea.’
The RNLI first provided lifeguarding services in south west England in 2001, and in the following years the service has steadily expanded across the UK and Ireland. In 2012 RNLI lifeguards responded to 14,519 incidents and assisted 16,414 on some of the UK and Ireland’s busiest beaches.
If you are a qualified lifeguard and are interested in working for the RNLI at Coldingham Sands please contact RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, David Gorman on 07970 080806.
The RNLI’s new Beach Finder app enables users to search the UK for lifeguarded beaches and read up on local hazards. With real-time weather updates from the Met Office it also removes any doubt over whether to pack the umbrella or the sun cream! The app is available to download for Apple or Android devices at www.rnli.org/beach
Picture Caption: Eyemouth and St Abbs lifeboat stations join forces with Coldinham lifeguards, from left, Geo Ceccarelli, Jamie Lindsay and supervisor David Gorman in front of the media today.
RNLI media contacts:
Henry Weaver, RNLI Press Officer for Scotland, 01738 642986, 07771 943026, henry_weaver@rnli.org.uk
Richard Smith, RNLI Public Relations Manager for Scotland, 01738 642956, 07786 668903, richard_smith2@rnli.org.uk
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789.