Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team are attending an incident at Newport Harbour this evening (Thursday).
2 vehicles, which responded on blue lights, are in attendance beside the River Medina in response to concerns for an individual.
A search of the eastern side of quay, opposite The Bargeman’s Rest, is underway.
The incident began shortly before 17:20.
UPDATE @ 18:28 – The incident has been brought to a positive conclusion with the individual found safe and well.
Coastguards are now standing down.
Two vehicles on blues from Ventnor, at some risk to other road users. Is that really necessary why is there no ‘asset’ closer to the Island’s centre to deal with such things, and are those vehicle drivers fully trained to be driving ‘under blue lights’ ?
Glad to hear the individual is safe.
Of course they are! Hope you never need them!
So do I, Not suggesting they don’t do a good job.
Your comment suggests otherwise. Newport is not coastal that’s why the coastguard comes from elsewhere. The clue is in the name!
Should there be a coastguard vehicle in every town and village then ? I think the fact it’s the centre meaning not coastal is why it’s called coastguard and why’s wtherws not .Always someone to criticise the volunteers.
No they are not blue light driver trained as they are all volunteers who do not receive a retainer like retained fireman who along with police ambulance and full time firefighters receive a blue light training course that lasts 2-3 weeks. HMCG volunteers can not speed, overtake, force cars to pull over or drive through red lights.
That’s not true I was in the service and we received training for what we are able to do – that’s all that should be required. You are given training for what you can do on a response – you should all be grateful we have these willing volunteers like lifeboat men and women- there’s not point training people for what they don’t do – you wouldn’t train a hospital receptionist to perform surgery but they get trained for what they are allowed to do- you can’t ask for more than that. Always people to criticise – the main thing is they responded in an emergency and made a difference to someone’s life. If you can do better join or better still apply to a full time position. I loved all my years
People keep posting comments about CG someone clearly has sour grapes – I enjoyed my time in the service don’t ruin it for others
Well I personally have experience on several occasions, extremely fast & erratic driving by members of this service. If they do not have the same driver training courses as the full time emergency services, then they should not of passed me at speeds well above the speed limit for the road I was travelling on. Neither should they of even thought to over take on a blind bend let alone actually do it.
On one of these incidents, according to this news source they were only travelling to help tie up a vessel towed in by the RNLI
Red Mist could be the cause!
Just look back on this website for Road Traffic Accidents on 30th August
Serious crash closes Downs Road. Where two helicopters were needed along with all other services.
14th September
Car on roof closes road at Beaper Shute.
Both these incidents have involved CG personnel.
Kind of speaks for it self hey!!
If you or someone close to you were drowning would you want them to take their time or get there as quickly as possible? Even police and ambulance drivers make mistakes they’re all human but they do the best they can under difficult circumstances and we should be very grateful.
Well I personally have experience on several occasions, extremely fast & erratic driving by members of this service. If they do not have the same driver training courses as the full time emergency services, then they should not of passed me at speeds well above the speed limit for the road I was travelling on. Neither should they of even thought to over take on a blind bend let alone actually do it.
On one of these incidents, according to this news source they were only travelling to help tie up a vessel towed in by the RNLI
Red Mist could be the cause!
Just look back on this website for Road Traffic Accidents on 30th August
Serious crash closes Downs Road. Where two helicopters were needed along with all other services.
14th September
Car on roof closes road at Beaper Shute.
Both these incidents have involved CG personnel.
Kind of speaks for it self hey!!
Sorry @chippy and @jhvf – Is this an attack at the Coastguard service or the management – I suggest you raise your concerns with the management if there is an issue not smash the poor volunteers who are just trying to do a job and for the casualty. Emergency service vehicles are involved in incidents everyday are they badly trained as well – I can guaranteee there would be more incidents with say an ambulance than a COastguars vehicle . Come on guys time and a place
Oh dear Jungle Drummer this has hit a nerve hasn’t it!! Let’s get things straight here shall we.in a nutshell JHVF made a comment regarding the distance Ventnor vehicles have to travel and asked if those vehicles are driven by fully trained blue light drivers , I in turn posted a response to say they are not trained to drive under blue lights.They do it but they are NOT trained. Why?… because HMCG do not have crown exemption which would enable them the same tolerances to the laws of the road as the other blue light services.
If you have served in this agency,then you would know the personnel do receive training for searching and cliff work etc.They have never been trained in blue light driving because the service does not have crown exemption.FACT.
Nobody has said anything bad about these volunteers,only to question their ability or indeed lack of it to drive under blue lights safely.
Yes they do go on a call to help but if in doing so they are breaking the laws of the road and possibly causing accidents on route it is not safe or acceptable to do so and you should not attempt to pull the wool by implying these personnel are indeed blue light driver trained as it simply is not true.
As for your childish comment regarding ambulances being involved in more accidents than the CG vehicles makes me wonder if you thought racing around a Go Cart track gave your self the ability to drive not wholly in accordance to the law when going on a call!! Ambulances are manned 24/7 by trained full time personnel. Hence more time on the road may ever so possibly equate to a higher risk of an accident. That is simply the law of averages.
HMCG vehicles spend most of their time locked in the garage of the station where they are sometimes driven by who ever turns out never has that been a designated or trained blue light driver.
No malice intended just the bare FACTS.
Heard you the first time!!