Sun, sea and saving lives: The RNLI lifeguards on the east coast of Scotland

This summer, the charity’s lifeguards have been present on eight popular beaches across Fife, Tayside and the Scottish Borders, seven days a week.

RNLI lifeguards not only monitor the coast but can offer advice about water safety, weather conditions and dangers along the beach, answer questions from the public, and administer first aid to beach goers. The lifeguards are also there to assist people when they get into difficulty or are struggling out at sea.

For example, in one incident, RNLI lifeguards at Broughty Ferry Beach in Tayside jumped into action after spotting six children on a paddleboard and one adult in an inflatable dinghy being taken up the river by the tide.

Broughty Ferry RNLI’s inshore lifeboat (ILB) was launched at the request of the UK Coastguard to work in conjunction with the charity’s lifeguards, one of which was already assisting the casualties in the water on a rescue board. All seven people were safely returned to the beach.

Senior RNLI lifeguard, Alice Parsons (pictured), was communicating to her fellow lifeguard out on the water, the coastguard and the lifeboat throughout the rescue whilst also reassuring the families on the beach and on hand for casualty care afterwards.

Lifeguarding alongside her brother this summer, she said: ‘We had to stay calm and put all of our training this summer into practice to ensure that we were able to help bring the casualties safely back to the beach.

‘We are fortunate to have carried out joint training exercises with the volunteer crew at Broughty Ferry RNLI lifeboat station, meaning that we were all able to work together well as a team and achieve a positive outcome.

‘With the RNLI lifeguard season coming to an end, we would encourage everyone continuing to visit the coast to check the local forecast for wind, tide and swell, as it is easy to get caught out in the sea.’

If you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, resist the urge to enter the water to help. Instead, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

ENDS

RNLI media contacts

Claire Thomson, RNLI Media Engagement Placement for Scotland, 07929 673286, [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.