Message from Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Paul Chapman (Diving Liaison Officer)

Dear Diver,

Figures released by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA)  indicate that some divers are not making HM Coastguard their first point of contact in the event of an emergency. This could be that divers are unfamiliar with the organisation of HM Coastguard and believe that we should only be contacted in life and death situations.

The purpose of this e-mail is to introduce Humber Coastguard to you and to encourage you to talk to us and make use of our services. We are very friendly and approachable. Honest!

HM Coastguard is part of the MCA.  The Humber District covers the East Coast of England from Haile Sand Fort (Cleethorpes) northwards as far as the Scottish Border and approximately half way across the North Sea. It is part of MCA's Eastern Region.

Humber Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre is based in Bridlington and the operations room (radio call sign 'Humber Coastguard') is manned 24 hours a day 365 days of the year.

Humber Coastguard co-ordinates Search and Rescue (SAR) activities within the District. To do this we are able to call on the services of:

  • 29 Coastguard Rescue Teams
  • 3 Volunteer Life-Brigades
  • 13 RNLI All-Weather Lifeboats
  • 20 RNLI Inshore Lifeboats
  • 4 Private Inshore Lifeboats
  • 1 Coastguard Boat
  • 2 RAF SAR Flights (based at RAF Boulmer and RAF Leconfield)

We also work with:

  • Police road, air and marine units
  • Fire Brigade land and marine units
  • Ambulance road and air units
  • Lifeguards, Beach Safety and Coastwatch teams.
  • MOD Bomb Disposal.

We can call on the services of naval and other vessels, which may be transiting through the district, as well as the resources of our flank stations,  Forth Coastguard to the north and Yarmouth Coastguard to the south.

There are a large number of diving clubs in the District and many popular diving areas such as the Farne Islands and Bridlington Bay. Consequently, a lot of diving takes place in our patch. We are here to assist you when shore or boat diving.

We are able to:

  • Connect you by telephone, VHF radio or mobile phone to a diving doctor.
  • Arrange evacuation to recompression facilities for diver and buddy.
  • Search for missing divers.
  • Recover disabled dive boats and their crews.
  • Evacuate casualties to hospital.
  • Take routine details of your planned dive.
  • Give weather and tide information.

If you are planning to dive in Humber District then help us to help you should you get into trouble. It could happen. It does happen!

Register your boat with the Yacht and Boat Safety Identification Scheme (CG66). Contact us and we will send you an application form.

When you go diving:

  • Shortly before departure, phone us (01262 672317). Tell us your intentions and get the latest weather information from us.
  • On departure call "Humber Coastguard" on VHF channel 16. This also checks your VHF is working OK.
  • On safe return ashore call "Humber Coastguard" on VHF channel 16 and let us know you are back.

If you follow the above actions then should you be reported overdue we will have a full description of your boat (CG66). We will know your point of departure and return, your intended dive sites, how many persons are on board and your estimated time of return. We will also know if you have called to say you are back ashore.

Having this information means that we know where to search and what we are looking for. This greatly reduces the time and resources required for search and rescue. It also improves the chances of a successful rescue.

If you have any problems while you are at sea, mechanical failure, missing diver, suspected DCS etc then: call "Humber Coastguard" on VHF channel 16 IMMEDIATELY.

If you have any problems while shore diving, your shore party should dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.

It takes time for lifeboats and helicopters to reach casualties. The sooner we know there is a problem the sooner we can help you. If it turns out to be a false alarm we can cancel the launch but any delay could cost someone's life. Don't spend half an hour searching for a missing diver before calling us. Call us immediately, minutes count and can never be got back.

To contact us write to:
HM Coastguard, 

HUMBER MRSC, 

Lime Kiln Lane, 

Bridlington, 

YO15 2LX

Operations Room (24 hours)
Emergency 999 ask for the Coastguard

Routine 01262 672317
Fax 01262 606915

VHF Channel 16
MF 2182 kHz or 2226 kHz
DSC MMSI 002320007

If you would like to arrange a club visit to the ops room, or if you would like us to visit your diving club then call Paul Chapman

Any diving related queries should be directed to Paul Chapman

Paul Chapman (Diving Liaison) 01262 672317 (Ops Room)
E-mail paul_chapman@mcga.gov.uk

MCA web site http://www.mcga.gov.uk/

Please circulate this email to your club members. 

Hoping we all have plenty of safe, enjoyable dives this year.

Paul Chapman.