COASTGUARD NEWS - SOUTHERN                  

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Southern 093/01
24 April 2001

BRIXHAM COASTGUARD CALLED TO FALLEN MAN

Brixham Coastguard were alerted by a member of the public via an emergency 999 call to a man who had suffered a 50-foot-fall at the Waterside Holiday Park at Paignton at 8.45 p.m. on 23 April 2001.

Torbay and Berry Head Coastguard Rescue Teams were paged to the scene, the Torbay in shore lifeboat was requested to launch; and a rescue helicopter - R 169 - from RAF Chivenor was scrambled.


Rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor
Within just a few minutes an ambulance, the lifeboat and the Coastguard teams had arrived and the lifeboat landed a paramedic ashore to liaise with the ambulance crew. The injured man was put into a Coastguard stretcher before his intended transfer by lifeboat to Paignton before being met by an Ambulance.

Peter Davies, Watch Manager at Brixham Coastguard said, " By this time the helicopter had arrived and was providing extra illumination on scene for the rescue services. A decision was then made in the light of the man's injuries to transport him to hospital by helicopter. He was then prepared by a paramedic and crewman for winching and subsequently flown to Torbay Hospital where he remains with serious head and arm injuries.

" Because of the local awareness by the public the Coastguard; Ambulance; Police; RNLI and RAF were able to work together very swiftly, which undoubtedly saved this mans life."