Casualty in the water at Dittisham

The Coastguard signalled an immediate launch to a man in the water. A 57 year old from Dartmouth fell into the water as he was boarding his RIB which was alongside the slip at Blackness Marine. He was in the water for 15 minutes before he was helped from the water. Fortunately he was wearing his lifejacket. He was being put in a car when the inshore lifeboat crew arrived. They assessed him as "Big Sick" and he was given Oxygen and placed in a survival bag and given a balaclava to prevent heat loss from his head. He remained in the car with the heater on. Chris Rampling on the lifeboat crew is also an RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor and is fully trained to assess people who have been recovered from the water. He continued to monitor the casualty as he improved until the Ambulance and a paramedic vehicle arrived 40 minutes later. The Dartmouth Coastguard team were also present and provided a radio link to the Coastguard in Solent. The RNLI crew left him in the care of the Ambulance crew for further assessment and treatment.