Flint based Coastguard officers in vital training exercise with Search & Rescue helicopter

Flint-based Coastguard officers have been training with Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter 936 from Caernarfon this week.

The team joined counterparts from Wirral Coastguard at fields on Greenbank Road in West Kirby on Wednesday evening for the joint exercise.

Both Coastguard teams put their training into practice and secured and prepared a landing site for the distinctive Sikorsky S92 helicopter to land.

The Flint team took the opportunity to have a look around the huge S92 which operates with a flight crew of four and can carry up to 21 people when required.

Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 936 is available to assist with searches on both land and at sea, it has been seen in the skies above Deeside transporting casualties from across North Wales to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Rescue 936 is one of the busiest helicopters in the Bristow search and rescue fleet which are stationed at several bases around the UK coast, the helicopter can fly for over 4 hours and is equipped with a comprehensive medical suite on board.

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Dave Sutton, Flint Coastguard Deputy Station Officer said;

The helicopter is a great asset to ourselves at Flint CRT.

Although we have worked on a search incidents in the past with the helicopter as a team we have never had to assist the pilot with a landing.

On Wednesday,evening we had the opportunity to put further training into practice in setting up a HLS ( Helicopter Landing Site) and landed the helicopter for the first time.

This was a first for all members of the Flint CRT and as a team we are both lucky and honoured to have been given such a fantastic opportunity.

HM Coastguard is the emergency service which provides search and rescue at the coast and at sea.

When someone’s in trouble, they send out helicopters, lifeboats and coastguard rescue teams.

They coordinate this from our 12 control rooms around the UK coast.

For further information and guidance visit gov.uk/maritime-and-coastguard-agency