Coastguard Rescue Drama at West Beach
On Sunday afternoon, Littlehampton Coastguard volunteers sprang into action after reports of a person in severe pain stranded on West Beach. The casualty was suffering intense hip and pelvic pain and couldn’t move.
Care and Clever Extraction Plan
Working with ambulance crews, the Coastguard team assessed how best to get the injured person to safety. They even considered using a boat from the Littlehampton RNLI Lifeboat Station to ferry the casualty closer to a road. But in the end, they opted for a stretcher carry over tricky sand dunes.
The lifeboats delivered a bulky stretcher to the scene and stayed nearby in case backup was needed.
Pain Relief and Safe Transfer
Before moving the casualty, a Critical Care Paramedic was called in to provide stronger pain relief. Once the patient was stabilized, they were carefully taken to an ambulance for further treatment.
Training Pays Off on Tough Terrain
“All Coastguard Officers are extensively trained in casualty care and extraction techniques,” said Littlehampton Coastguard. “We regularly train on stretcher handling to be ready for tricky rescues in remote and challenging spots. Yesterday’s rescue meant navigating a narrow, steep sandy path to reach the casualty.”
