By
RNLI Cleethorpes Coastguard.
In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard – don’t ring us!
We were called yesterday evening to a report of people cut off by the tide at Humberston following multiple 999 calls. On investigation, we found they were paddleboarders who didn’t need any help.
As we were getting ready to launch, our station phone rang from a person stuck in mud near the Leisure Centre, asking if we were coming to get him and his friend. He hadn’t dialled 999, instead googling our number. With the tide rising, this could have been a deadly mistake.
On the advice of one of our volunteers, he called 999 and we were diverted to rescue the pair after Cleethorpes Coastguard had assessed their position, which meant a land-based rescue was not possible.
Our station, like most lifeboat stations, isn’t normally manned, and the phone rings unanswered.
In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Contact Gi Grimsby
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