A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ...
...Andrew Hill (Coastguard Rescue Officer)
"My weekends off tend to be quite precious to me, as a shift worker I only get one weekend in two off. A few weeks ago, I was looking forward to a wee trip up to Glasgow to meet some friends for a late lunch. As I was passing Hansel Village, my pager went off.
After the beeping had stopped, the voice over came through, “Paging Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team for four females stuck on rocks at Heads of Ayr.”
Pulling over into a lay-by, I call the Operations Room at the MRCC in Greenock. A report of 4 women out walking along the coastal path, and with the tide coming in they felt threatened that they might get cut off from the shore. Quite rightly they had sought higher ground, and became stuck on some quite steep cliffs. Thankfully, one of them managed to climb all the way up and went for help.
As a Rope Rescue Technician with the Coastguard, I knew that my other colleagues who were qualified to do cliff rescues were out of the area. I was relieved to hear that both the Ardrossan and Girvan rescue teams were available and attending. I decided to make my own way direct to the scene, safe in the knowledge that Billy and Tom were both proceeding from the station.
I met with the guys on a farm track leading up to the top of the cliffs. They had met up with the first informant who had done a wonderful job of raising the alarm. The Strathclyde Police helicopter, callsign Victor Mike Seven Zero, was on scene and guided us to where the women were stuck.
I got my cliff rescue harness on while Billy and Tom mustered the rest of the equipment we were going to need. We set up some stakes and after being connected on to a safety rope, I had a better look at the terrain leading down to where our casualties were holding on to the cliff.
On the arrival of the Girvan Team we commenced the rescue, with myself and James, one of the Girvan Coastguard Rescue Officers, taking turns to go down and secure the women in a rescue harness before walking them back on the cliff face to safety.
During the debrief, the women thanked us for the assistance we had provided. We get all of our equipment packed up again and head back to the station. By this time, it’s too late to go for lunch, and I end up grabbing something quick on the way home. I rearrange dinner with my very understanding friends for the next day; that is, of course, unless there’s another call out."
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