Cumbrae Coastguard in water safety and rescue drill

With winter fast approaching and the weather taking a marked turn in the last few weeks, training took place on the east of the island at Downcraig Jetty.

The drill focussed on water safety and rescue skills to be employed in adverse weather.

Specifically, the team covered the techniques of bankside safety, runner rescue and lanyarding, plus their associated ropework skills.

The bankside safety technique creates a restraint attached to a holdfast or anchor point which stops rescuers from getting too close to a hazard or preventing them from falling into it in case of slips, trips or falls while still allowing them lateral movement to reach casualties beyond uneven terrain such as over a breakwater.

The runner rescue technique is used to access a casualty trapped on an exposed structure by securing anchor points along the route as the rescuer closes the distance to the casualty, while allowing the line to which they are secured to be paid out or taken in by the tender.

Similarly, the lanyarding technique is used to access a casualty trapped on a structure such as a pier, jetty or rock armour in heavy weather by moving progressively along anchor points and recovering the casualty to safety by following the route in reverse.

While these techniques are trained to all Coastguard Rescue Teams in HM Coastguard, each team specialises in the terrain in their own local area which means that these particular operations are relevant to Cumbrae Coastguard Rescue Team, especially given the Millport Coastal Flood Prevention Scheme and  breakwater construction works which will continue on the island through the winter and into next year.