Praise for life-saving RNLI crew members

RNLI crew members, Barry Kirkpatrick, William Evans, Christopher Dorman and Pamela Dorman and not pictured, Dave Somerville with letters of appreciation RNLI

In particular, it has been recognised that had it not been for the crew’s swift actions, lives may well have been lost.

The recognition comes after a busy year for Larne’s RNLI crew with 11 callouts during June, July and August.

Five volunteers received Letters of Thanks and Appreciation from RNLI operations director, George Rawlinson and three volunteers have received Letters of Praise from Prof Charles Deakin, chairman of the Medical and Survival Sub-Committee.

The tributes are seen of particular significance as in the 19 years since Larne lifeboat station has been in existence, these are just the third and fourth such letters to have been received.

They relate to incidents in which RNLI members came to the rescue of several stricken members of the public whose lives were seriously at risk.

The RNLI Operations Director stated that without the assitance of the inshore lifeboat crew - helm Pamela Dorman, Barry Kirkpatrick and Christopher Dorman - on Sunday, May 26 three lives would have been in serious danger.

They had been tasked to a report of an inflatable dinghy blown out to sea at Portmuck. While en route, it emerged that a member of the public had attempted a rescue by swimming out to the dinghy. The swimmer - found to be very cold and tired- was rescued first, and then a woman and child on the dinghy.

Mr Rawlinison said that Pamela and her crew had certainly saved lives and offered his sincere appreciation to all.

Prof Deakin praised the crew of the Hannahbella Ferguson on Thursday, June 20 who rescued a person floating face down in water close to Larne promenade. Helm William Evans helped recover the unresponsive casualty into the lifeboat, where casualty care was commenced with crew member, Dave Somerville taking the lead in CPR which continued until the arrival of an ambulance.

Prof Deakin said the outcome for the casualty in this occasion could have been very different had it not been for the actions of William Evans, Dave Somerville and Pamela Dorman.

the outcome for the casualty may have been very different, he further stated that the RNLI place much emphasis on the encouragement of Casualty Care Training for our Volunteers and such events as this serve to justify the study, time and practical effort that our crews devote to their subject.