By Isle of Wight Observer
Cowes Lifeboat Station held its annual fund-raising 999 Day recently, but only after the crew attended two emergency call-outs!
The successful event featured emergency services, including fellow RNLI lifeboat crews from Yarmouth, Calshot and the independent Solent Rescue lifeboat, as well as representatives from the Cowes fire service, coastguard teams from around the Island, and St John’s Ambulance Service.
The emergency rescue services offered valuable insights into their respective roles, and how they work together to ensure public safety, and they were joined by the Wight Dolphins diving group, who took part in a lifeboat rescue demonstration.
One of the day’s highlights was the Mayday Mile, which saw RNLI and coastguard crew running a relay across the Parade, from Cowes RNLI Station to Trinity Pontoon.
Crew members raced to don their dry-suits, with enthusiastic support from the watching crowd. The relay ended spectacularly, with a team made up of both RNLI and Coastguard crew, racing with the RNLI’s ‘Dead Fred’ training dummy on a stretcher.
Willoughby Matthews, who organised the event alongside his brother, Josh, said: “We were overwhelmed by the fantastic turnout. It was a great opportunity to connect with our community and share what we do. The funds raised today will make a real difference in ensuring we can continue to be there to help those in need at sea.”
The first shout of a busy day came at 7.17am when the crew assisted a casualty who had fallen awkwardly on a yacht and was in severe pain, then, at 9.16am, the pagers sounded again after an automatic man overboard alert was received. After a search of the area outside Cowes Harbour nothing was found.
Mal Butler