A total of 17 volunteers gave up their Sunday morning on 8 July to attend extra first aid training organised by Lifeboat Medical Adviser, Dr. Jane Aitken. Four doctors were given roles and make-up to represent possible real-life casualties the boat and shore-crew could encounter in the Exmouth area.

Meeting at 8.30am on a dry sunny day, Dr. Aitken went through first aid cards to help the volunteers identify the different degrees of sickness. The group was divided up into small groups, each with a qualified first aider to help the others. The casualty scenarios were:

• An intoxicated cliff faller

• A kayaker with head injuries

• A kite surfer with chest pain, who is diabetic

• A bird watcher who had fallen off a local cruise boat, with hypothermia

The scenarios were described to the volunteers and with the help of first aid cards used on real-life rescues, the crew worked through the series of questions to determine the sickness. The four doctors then gave feedback and advice to the volunteers.

Local GPs Dr. Richard Mejzner, Dr. Rob Turner and Dr. Kevin Douglas joined Lifeboat Medical Advisers Dr. Jane and Dr. Peter Aitken to make this event possible. Dr. Jane Aitken said;

‘The local GPs volunteered to be the casualties and helped make the exercise a success. I am grateful for the number of people who gave up their Sunday morning to make this work for Exmouth RNLI. I hope that the experience has been useful for the crew who could potentially meet such casualties every time their pager goes off.’