Sea Sunday, Safety Patrols & Missing Children at Camber

Jul 17, 2022

Another busy training session at our boathouse, which included being tasked to assist the search for missing children at Camber.

missing child at Camber, tasked to assist, Sunday training
Today was a glorious day down at Pett Level and a busy day for the Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat volunteers!

The day started with the annual Sea Sunday, a service that celebrates and give thanks for all those on the sea. There is a tradition for this to take place at our boathouse, which the pandemic sadly cut across for a significant time. Today, the service was resumed and it’s our pleasure to host the event and receive a blessing for the boats and crews.
volunteer beach teams and rescue crew training and tasked to assist
After the service the crew remained on station and launched to do a patrol of the local area. The beaches from Pett to Winchelsea Beach, across Rye Bay to Camber were incredibly busy with families enjoying the wonderful weather. Previous years have shown that unexpected incidents can happen at any time, so being immediately available is crucial. And in the event of such a fine weekend, it also proved necessary …

Tasked to assist in the search for missing children at Camber

At 18:30 we were tasked by UK Coastguard to assist in the search for missing children at Camber beach. We joined colleagues from RNLI Rye Harbour offshore at Camber, alongside local Coastguard teams.

All children were found safe and well, which is great news. Just as we were making our way back, we were requested by Coastguards to remain on scene to be available incase of further incidents. With so many thousands of visitors on the beach who are not familiar with local conditions, on a day like today it was clear our safety support could be needed at any time.

After remaining on scheme, we then returned to station around 7:30 pm. Then there was more busy-ness as our volunteers carried out the ‘recovery’ tasks. So, after a very ‘Sea Sunday’, our volunteers were then busy washing down the suits, boats and equipment, plus refuelling and preparing the boats to be #rescueready for the next call out.

boat recovery following SHOUT to search for missing person

A huge thanks to all our volunteer crew who continue to give their time on such a beautiful day. A special thank you too to the supporters an donors who help keep our independent rescue boat charity afloat.

IT COSTS MORE THAN £10k A YEAR TO KEEP OUR RESCUE BOAT CHARITY AFLOAT

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US

Tasked to Assist – Vessel Retrieval

Mar 21, 2022

At approximately 14:30 today, Solent Coastguard set off our volunteer crews’ pagers. Our volunteers were then tasked to assist in the investigation and recovery of an abandoned vessel.

tasked to assist, retrieval of abandoned vessel
The vessel was drifting approximately two nautical miles off shore and causing a danger to other vessels in the area. As an inflatable item, there was also the possibility that, if punctured or taking on water, the vessel could pose a risk to the environment, birds, marine and wildlife.

Fortunately, our amazing crew are all relatively local and managed to get to the boathouse in record time. The John and Margaret Pulfer boat was successfully launched approximately seven minutes after the pagers were set off. It’s rapid response times when being tasked to assist that makes our independent rescue boat team very special.

Once on scene, the crew very quickly got the seven metre long inflatable vessel under tow and headed back to Pett Level Slip. Here, they were greeted by the recovery team, who then assisted the boat crew in the recovery of the abandoned vessel onto land.

After this, our crews carried out the well-rehearsed activity of recovering the rescue boat and crew members. Once all were back at the boathouse, it was all hands on deck for cleaning up and preparing the boats, vehicles and equipment so that all could be left #rescueready for next time.

Well done and thank you to our beach, base and boat volunteers who were so quick to respond and carry out the tasks as required by HM Coastguard today. Great work!

IT COSTS MORE THAN £10k A YEAR TO KEEP OUR RESCUE BOAT CHARITY AFLOAT

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US

Sunday Training – plus SHOUT!

Mar 6, 2022

Well that was a busy morning, and one which really proved the importance of our rescue crew training to be ready for anything …

rescue crew training and tasked to assist
It started off as a usual Sunday morning, with our volunteers at the boathouse for training exercises. Both the John Pulfer and Pett Tornado boats were busy doing comprehensive training, involving lots of different scenarios!

These scenarios involve all of our rescue crew training for all aspects of our work, including beach crews and base crews.
volunteer beach teams and rescue crew training and tasked to assist
All our volunteers are committed to always being ready for any situation at any time. And today, whilst the teams were all in the right place at the right time …

TASKED TO ASSIST


Our volunteers were asked to assist RNLI Hastings in the search for a missing person. The person was believed to be missing between our local Cliff End area and Hastings. 

With the morning’s training having just ended when the call came through to us, our teams were rescue ready and able to assist immediately. After an extensive search no-one was found. Our crews were then stood down by Solent Coastguard and returned back to base for the busy task of leaving the boats and the boat house rescue ready for the next call to assist.

boat recovery following SHOUT to search for missing person
Congratulations and well done to our teams today for their hard work and dedication to their volunteer roles.

IT COSTS MORE THAN £10k A YEAR TO KEEP OUR RESCUE BOAT CHARITY AFLOAT

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US

May starts with ‘MayDays’

May 13, 2021

May has kicked off in a very busy way, as from May Day we’ve been tasked to launch and assist on two occasions.

First SHOUT of 2021 – persons cut off by the tide

On the May Day bank holiday weekend, our volunteers opened the boathouse across all three days, to provide a proactive presence as lockdown lifts and the public enjoy the beauty of the beach.

And this ready presence proved useful when  our volunteers were tasked to assist on Sunday 2nd May in the afternoon. At the request of HM Coastguard, our Pulfer boat was launched to assist an adult, accompanied by two young people and three dogs, all of whom were stranded at the base of the cliffs after being cut off by the tide.

 
The three people and their dogs were assisted into the boat and returned to the safety of Pett Slip.
 
PLIRB rescue boat was tasked to assist on two occasions in May

Paying attention to safety signs

The walkers had intended to picnic, but had not anticipated how quickly the tide floods into the undercliff area of the Cliff End and Fairlight beaches.  In particular, they had not realised how the fast-rising tide cuts off the safe route to the main beach at Pett Level, despite the advice of our volunteers at the boathouse and the warning signage in the approach to Cliff End.
 
This incident highlights the importance of paying attention to tide times and warning signs, particularly if you are not familiar with the beach or coastline.

May 12th 2021 – assistance to kayakers

On Wednesday May 12th, just before noon, our volunteers were tasked by HM Coastguard to assist two kayakers who had been reported as being in difficulty just off the coast of Fairlight.

Although midweek, when we don’t have a ready presence at the boathouse, several of our volunteers were able to get to the boathouse very quickly, to launch the Pulfer boat with a very fast response time.

 

Launch of the Pulfer rescue boat in response to being tasked to assist by HM Coastguard. Thanks to Tony Green on ITV News Meridian for allowing us to share this video.

When they reached the scene, our rescue boat crew ascertained that the kayakers, who had hit choppy waters and had come off a twin kayak, had both managed to get back on to the kayak. After checks from our crew, the pair were escorted back to the safety of Pett Slip.

This incident highlights how important it is to report any difficulties you spot when at the beach. Neither kayaker had intended to go into the water and, as the recent #BeWaterAware campaign emphasised, it’s always worth a call to HM Coastguard if you see someone enter the water unintentionally.

Happily, this incident ended well, but it’s not always the case, so please do ensure you and your family know what to do if you spot someone in trouble in the water.

Donations are essential to keep our rescue service afloat, please help us to continue saving lives ...

WHILST YOU’RE HERE …

As an independent charity providing rescue services, we are run solely by volunteers.

We receive no government or central funding and have to fundraise every penny needed to buy and maintain our equipment and to pay our considerable running costs.

Since the start of 2020, our running costs have increased to around £10,000 a year.

If you like the work we do and would like to support us, your donation would really be appreciated.

Anything you can spare will help us to help those in danger on our local coastline.

Thank you so much, from the volunteers at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat.

PLIRB and Rescue Services Attend Pett Level Incident

Jul 15, 2020

On Tuesday 14th July, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat teams were called out following reports of a swimmer in difficulties just off the coast at Pett Level.

At approximately 18:07, our teams were tasked to attend and prepare to launch. Rescue services colleagues from Hastings and Rye Bay Coastguard teams, RNLI Rye Harbour and the Search & Rescue Helicopter 163 team from Lydd were also tasked to attend.

Our volunteers responded quickly to the call for assistance. Base and boat crews arrived at the Pett Level slipway and boathouse within minutes off pagers going off.

Happily, soon after arriving it was confirmed that the individual who had been in the water was already ashore. The swimmer was being attended to by Hastings and Rye Coastguards, who were first on the scene. The winchman from the Lydd Search & Rescue helicopter  team also gave support.

At this time, boat-based rescue services were ‘stood down’. Emergency medical teams arrived quickly on-scene to take over the care of the casualty, as reported in the Observer Online.

Thanks to everyone who was able to respond in this incident. Although it turned out that it wasn’t necessary for us to launch, it’s always good practice for us to arrive #rescueready at the boathouse. And of course, we’d always rather respond to a ‘shout’ and not be needed because a casualty is safe.

We’re pleased to have been of assistance in this incident and hope that the swimmer makes a good recovery.

*Images courtesy of Martin Geldart – do not use without permission* 

Your donations are welcome, thank you

Whilst you’re here …

As an independent rescue service, we are run by volunteers and fundraise to buy all of our own equipment and to pay our considerable running costs.

If you like the work we do and would like to support us, your donation would really be appreciated and would, ultimately, help us to help those in danger on our local coastline.

Thank you so much, from the volunteers at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat.

PLIRB Search and Rescue for Missing Person

Jun 26, 2020

On Thursday 25th June, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat teams were tasked to support HM Coastguards in a search and rescue incident.

At approximately 11:15 am, our teams were  tasked by Solent Coastguard to launch and assist in the search for a person who was thought to be missing along the coastline of the Fairlight and Ecclesbourne Glen areas. Also involved were local  Bexhill and Hastings Coastguard teams, Sussex Police, RNLI Hastings and the Lydd Search and Rescue Helicopter team.

Although a busy work morning, several of our volunteers were able to respond to the call for assistance, with enough crew for our Pulfer Boat to be launched within approximately 15 minutes of the initial call.

Once launched, the boat crew was directed to Fairlight Cove to liaise with Hastings Coastguards who were already searching the area for the missing person. At this stage, RNLI Hastings were stood down. With our Pulfer boat being an inshore vessel, the PLIRB crew were able to get ashore to pick up the Hastings Coastguard team and take them to another search location by boat. Those on board continued to search the water and coastline on the way. The Lydd Search and Rescue helicopter team searched from the air, as reported in the Observer Online at the time.

Once at the alternative beach location at Ecclesbourne Glen, members of the public supported the search and rescue teams with information about when the man was last seen in the area. At this time, Sussex Police were also responding to reports and making enquiries in the man’s local area. As a result of this, the call came through that the missing person had been located at home.

Recovery and clean up – Covid-style!

At this point, our crew returned to the boathouse, bringing the Hastings Maritime & Coastguard team back to shore with them. As usual, our beach and base volunteer teams supported the boat crew in getting the boat safely recovered to the boathouse.

Currently, getting cleaned up takes a good while longer, due to the additional measures in place to make the premises and equipment as Covid-secure as possible. However, many hands made much lighter work and our volunteers were able to make good time in getting everythig ship-shape and rescue-ready for next time.

Thanks to everyone who was able to respond in this search and rescue incident. We’re pleased to have been of assistance and we’re very happy that the missing person was found safe and well.

We’d also like to say a big thank you to members of the public who were using the beach, but moved cheerfully and quickly out of the way so that we could launch and recover the boat quickly, safely and with social distancing in mind. We appreciate your co-operation – it makes the work of our volunteers so much easier!

*Archive photo of our Pulfer boat in action* 

Your donations are welcome, thank you

Whilst you’re here …

As an independent rescue service, we are run by volunteers and fundraise to buy all of our own equipment and to pay our considerable running costs.

If you like the work we do and would like to support us, your donation would really be appreciated and would, ultimately, help us to help those in danger on our local coastline.

Thank you so much, from the volunteers at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat.