As of 2019, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed that, “around 150 people die in UK and Irish waters each year, with more than half never even planning to enter the water.” It was this shocking statistic that made me question the true power of the seas and ask: ‘who are the people that risk their lives every day to save those in danger?’ In the recent BBC documentary, ‘Saving Lives at Sea’, which follows the ordinary men and women who volunteer for the RNLI, I was surprised to learn that an average of 24 lives are lost each year around the coasts of North-East England alone (RNLI, 2020). Having grown up in the small seaside town of Whitley Bay, I became aware of the importance of sea safety from a very young age but never knew who was behind the relentless search and rescue operations along the 30-mile stretch of the North-East coastline. I therefore planned to use this as the stimulus for my major project and create a 3-part television series that explores one coastal rescue service and their mission to rescue, protect and educate. 

 

In “When the Pager Goes: Coastal Emergencies”, I focus on the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB), a voluntary shore-based coastal rescue service founded in 1864. As a declared facility to the HM Coastguard for Rope Rescue, Water Rescue and Coastal Search, the brigade work alongside the local RNLI - most commonly saving those in danger within the low water mark. Averaging over 120 callouts a year with approximately 25 rescue team volunteers, the brigade not only save lives but also educate schools and community members about staying safe by the sea. The series is appropriate for all ages, with the aim of highlighting just how dangerous the sea can be, regardless of your age, gender or physical ability.