Recently we have been made aware of several incidents where individuals have got into difficulty in the sea, but not known how to get help or what they should do. What follows is a short thread signposting information on how to #RespectTheWater

First off, in any coastal emergency call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

@HMCoastguard will co-ordinate an appropriate response, which may be a lifeboat or a Coastguard Rescue Team. It is better to call if you are unsure, as the units can be stood down if no longer required.

Visit the @RNLI’s beach safety pages http://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety which have lots of useful advice on how to act if you get caught in a rip current, information about tides, waves, and using inflatables at the beach (which we urge you not to do) etc

You should also visit http://respectthewater.com/  for some other interesting resources

It helps if you have a waterproofed means of calling for help (ie a phone in a waterproof case) which is easily accessible if you are in the water. Let people know your plans and maybe have someone watching you from the shore.

Plan ahead, check the weather, tide times and make an assessment of the conditions. Waves may look fun but the reality may be different.

Please continue to #RespectTheWater, check out the resources mentioned above and if you have any questions get in touch!