Marine Drive Re-opened

Just a quick update. Marine Drive around the Orme has now re-opened.

Marine Drive Closed

After recent storms, rock falls have caused the closure of the Marine Drive around the Great Orme from the North Shore Toll House to the ‘Zigzags’ halfway around.
The road has been closed to both vehicles and pedestrians and we urge everyone to adhere to the signs while geologists and the local authority make the road safe once more.

Photo: Llandudno Daily Pictures

Conwy County Council have not specified a reopening date so please co-operate with all signs for the duration of the closure to ensure your own safety. 

Fireworks

Just a quick safety message regarding fireworks. Over the years we have received numerous 999 calls reporting that flares have been sighted. These then turn out to be fireworks which have been set off from the beach and blown over the sea before exploding.  This creates the effect of a distress flare thus triggering unnecessary 999 calls and subsequent deployment of resources.

This prevents us from attending other potential call outs.

So please, if you want to enjoy fireworks attend your local display or if you are going to hold a private display hold it away from the beach.

Early morning call out

At 08:30 this morning we were called out to assist the Ambulance Service to extract a critically ill male from the Sand Dunes on the West Shore Cycle path.

We arrived on scene and quickly established, after liaising with the on scene Paramedics, that the best method of extraction would be RAF Rescue 122 from RAF Valley.

Whilst waiting for the Helicopter, the Paramedics and a member of the team (who is also a Paramedic) helped stabilise the casualty who had lost a lot of blood.

RAF Rescue 122 arrived on scene at approximately 08:46 where the winchman was lowered down along with a stretcher. After assessing the casualty, the winchman, with our assistance, placed the casualty on the stretcher before winching him up into the helicopter.

The casualty was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor for treatment of his life threatening injuries.

Angel Bay rescue

We were called this evening to a male who had fallen on the Angel Bay Cliff path that leads to the beach.

We arrived on scene and quickly located the casualty, who was already being cared for by a Police officer. After conducting a dynamic risk assessment we decided the best method of rescue was by RAF Rescue 122 from RAF Valley as the fall had left him with potentially serious injuries.

While waiting for the helicopter the casualty's condition worsened so we provided First Aid until the helicopter was overhead and the winchman was lowered.

The winchman decided that the casualty needed to be extracted quickly so he was placed in a 'double strop' where the winchman and casualty ascend into the helicopter without the need for a stretcher, this is the quickest method.

The Casualty was then flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

Trafalgar Day 2013

We took part in this year's Trafalgar Day Parade on Llandundo Promenade at the Cenotaph. We were joined by our colleagues from the Isle of Man Coastguard and two members from the Rhyl Coastguard Team.

Take a look at the pictures page where images from this years Trafalgar Day Parade have been uploaded.

What Is Trafalgar Day?

Missing Jetskiers

At 18:43 this evening we were called to reports that two jetskiers were overdue and that the family on shore were concerned about them. We arrived at Conwy Beacons slipway to talk to the family when one of the jetskiers appears from the sand dunes. He had walked from his location on the sandbanks to tell the family tat they were unable to return to Conwy because of the sandbanks. But, because they were not from the area and had not prepared for the trip, they were unaware they could round the Fairway buoy and locate the channel back into Conwy.

The type of jetski involved

At 19:02 we received a second 999 call to report that a jetskier was alone with two jetskis on the far side of the West Shore Sandbanks. After speaking to the first informant it was established that her partner had gone out to him after seeing the stranded jetskis. He was told that the other jetskier had walked off the sandbanks to the Beacons in Conwy (Where he was met by one of the team). After locating the lone jetskier through binoculars we attempted to grab his attention by flashing two high powered search lights at him.

                                                                            Image: RNLI

Conwy lifeboat was then able to conduct a search of the sandbanks and deployed one crew member on foot to search the banks. The casualty was then located where the lifeboat crewman rode one of the jetskis alongside the casualty back to Conwy where they were checked if they needed medical assistance and given safety advice.

We then assisted the casualties to recover the jetskis and we both returned to our respective stations by 20:39

Two Girls rescued from sandbanks

Shortly after 17:00 this evening we were called to reports that two persons and a dog were cut off by the tide at Llandudno's West Shore Sandbanks. We arrived on scene and quickly identified the need for the assistance of Llandudno's RNLI Inshore Lifeboat. 

Whilst we waited for the launch of the ILB one team member made their way to the shoreline to try and gain the two's attention. 

The lifeboat arrived at the West Shore, but before it could be launched into the water the two girls had started to wade across the channel.

The lifeboat crew waded out to the two girls, 11 and 13, to bring them across safely before handing them over to us. After making sure no medical assistance was required we gave safety advice and returned to station.

These two girls had a very lucky escape so please, if visiting West Shore, stay away from the lower part of the beach.

Picture: Llandundo RNLI

Kite washed ashore

At 16:00 this afternoon we were paged to investigate a Kite surfer's kite which had washed ashore on the beach at Conwy Morfa. Conwy lifeboat as well as a passing RNLI All weather lifeboat joined in with the search.

After an extensive land and sea search the 'missing' kite surfer was found safe and well in the car park and a little angry with himself for losing a £500 kite.

We then told him, to his delight, that a member of public found the kite before we directed him down the beach to reunite kite with surfer and returned to station.

Injured Jetskier

At 14:12 this afternoon we were tasked to Colwyn Bay pier to reports of an injured Jetskier on the Beach.

After battling through Saturday afternoon traffic we arrived on scene at about 14:25 where a Welsh Ambulance Service Rapid Response Vehicle had been sent. The Paramedic was already treating the Casualty on the Beach.

After liaising with the Paramedic, he decided we were not needed and no further assistance was required. After making sure the Jetski was secure we left scene and returned to station at 14:34

Two shouts in one Day

At approximately 15:30 this afternoon we were called to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with a walker who had fallen on the cycle path halfway between Deganwy and West Shore.

Due to the location of the casualty the ambulance could not reach the scene but we were able to, using our 4x4 vehicle.

The two Welsh Ambulance Service Paramedics as well as our team's own Paramedic treated the casualty for head injuries before we transported her to the waiting ambulance at Deganwy.

After being stood down from this incident we were tasked to Towyn (near Rhyl) to assist with a search after an empty rubber dinghy was found. 

We searched from Pensarn to Towyn, Rhyl Coastguard team searched from Rhyl to Towyn while both Rhyl Lifeboats searched the water from Pensarn to Rhyl. Rhyl Beach Lifeguards were also asked to remain vigilant. 

After an extensive search was carried out nothing was found and all involved were stood down.

Medical Emergency

At 14:35 this afternoon Holyhead Coastguard received multiple 999 calls reporting a flare sighting in the Rhos on Sea/Colwyn Bay area.


Holyhead Coastguard tasked Llandudno RNLI Inshore lifeboat, an RAF Sea king, Rescue 122 from RAF Valley and ourselves to the scene to locate the source of the sighting.
The Inshore Lifeboat launched from Colwyn Bay slipway and the crew soon located a small dinghy with one man on board suffering an Angina attack. The man had lost his relieving GTN Spray overboard.
He was immediately placed on the Lifeboat and was taken at full speed to shore. The Lifeboat landed ashore with the casualty at the same time Rescue 122 arrived on scene. The RAF winchman, who is a Paramedic, was landed and proceeded to stabilise the casualty. The Helicopter returned a short while later and landed on the beach to take the casualty on board and onto hospital.

Reports of Person in sea

At 19:00 Holyhead Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of public reporting that a "person was in the sea off Llanddulas and waving for help."

Both us and the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat at Llandudno raced to the scene where our team looked for the casualty from shore and the Lifeboat launched to locate the casualty from the water.

Arriving on scene at 19:20 the Lifeboat found that the casualty was in fact a small dinghy containing two anglers enjoying an evenings fishing.

We spoke to the first informant and confirmed that the casualty was in fact the dinghy.

After confirming no more assistance was required we, along with the Lifeboat, returned to station.

Woman found on rock armour at Llanddulas

We received a call at approximately 16:00 this evening by two men who had found a female lying on the rock armour at Llanddulas.

We arrived on scene and decided the best and safest way to extricate her was to go by sea. At 16:15 we radioed Holyhead Coastguard to request the launch of Llandudno's RNLI Inshore lifeboat. The Lifeboat was taken by road to Colwyn Bay where it arrived on scene at about 16:35.

She was placed on a stretcher and taken to the lifeboat. A Welsh Ambulance Service Paramedic accompanied the casualty on the short journey to the Porth Eirias Slipway. The casualty was placed in a waiting ambulance and all were stood down and returned to our bases by 17:20.

                                                       Courtesy Llandudno Lifeboat

Sandbanks Rescues

At about 16:00 on the 19/07 we received reports that multiple persons were in danger of being cut off by the tide on the sandbanks on the West shore.

We arrived to find around 30 people on the sandbanks and were all in fact being cut off by the rapidly rising tide. We immediately donned the appropriate PPE (Lifejackets, Helmets).

We were informed by the Conwy County Borough Council Seaboard Inspector that he had already tried to warn people of the dangers but was ignored. We stood on the edge of the sandbanks on the 'beach side' and used whistles to attract attention. The People were peppered all along the sandbanks so this made it a bit more difficult to attract attention.

We managed to get everybody off safely with the last ones off getting slightly wet. We issued safety advice to all involved and let them on their way.

We were also called out this morning at 07:50 to a Female who had gone for a walk onto the sandbanks. By the time she got back, she was cut off completely. A member of the public signalled her to use the Liferaft moored on the sandbanks while they raised the alarm. The Llandudno RNLI Inshore lifeboat was launched and she was rescued from the sandbanks. She was a French visitor visiting Llandudno on a two day trip. We checked if she needed medical attention and advised her about the dangers before we were returned to station.