Last year, countless lives were saved because someone knew to call 999 in an emergency at the coast and ask for the Coastguard. But shockingly, research shows that in the South East only 56% of people know who to call when the worst happens.
So, to help get the message home, HM Coastguard has recreated the kind of thank you message the service receives from those people who are alive today because someone knew the right thing to do.
The 30-second audio tells the story of a man who found himself unexpectedly cut off by the tide and how grateful he was that someone knew what to do.
Peter Mizen, Assistant Director – Head of Coastguard Operations at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), said:
“If you’re in difficulty along the coast or at sea, every second will count so it’s really important to know how to get hold of the right emergency service immediately. We know that overall nearly half of us don’t know who to call in a coastal emergency, so we are hoping that this new audio will help push the message home and save lives.”
According to the 2019 Water Safety Survey, just 56.09% of people in the South East know to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Here on the Isle of Wight, there are a number of incidents that happen each year where a Coastguard response is most appropriate but alternative services are called – such as the discovery of ordnance on the beach.
Breakdown of the % of people who knew to call 999 to reach the Coastguard
| East
Anglia |
East Midlands |
London | North East | North West | N.
Ireland |
Scotland | South East | South West | Wales | West Midlands | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 60.45% | 54.23% | 50.19
% |
56.63% | 47.77% | 54.10% | 53.80
% |
56.09% | 66.27% | 58.82% | 44.44% | 56.02
% |
