HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving several reports of a red flare over the mouth of the River Tyne. After a search of the area it was decided that no one was in danger and the Brigade were stood down.

046/08 - 10th June 14.04h IRT

Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat and the Brigade were called out after a 999 call was received by the Coastguard reporting a yacht being blown over off the North Tyne Pier. A thorough search of the area was carried out by the Lifeboat and the Brigade with assistance from a North Tyneside Council Lifeguard Personal Water Craft. With nothing found and no further reports of any yachts in distress the call was classed with a false alarm with good intent.

045/08 - 8th June 20.11h IRT

Shortly after completing a coastal patrol, HM Coastguard paged the Brigade with a request to attend King Edward's Bay where the Police had noticed two persons waving from the rocks below Tynemouth Priory. As Brigade members approached the pair they started to make their way back along the lower edge of the cliff. In no immediate danger, they were escorted off the rocks and to the safety of the beach by the Brigade.

044/08 - 7th June 21.00h IRT + BRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade along with Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat after receiving a call from a young man who reported that two of his friends had disappeared while swimming toward the boats anchored near Cullercoats Harbour. The Brigade Backup Response Team was called out to assist the search along with the Rescue Helicopter from RAF Boulmer and the Northumbria Police Helicopter. After a thorough search, no persons were found to be in difficulty and the first informant could not be located. Eventually one of the persons who was reported as missing was located and was arrested by the Police for further questioning. After two hours the search was called off.

024/08 - 10th April 19.45h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a report of a man stranded on rocks at the north end of Browns Bay. Brigade members arrived on scene and found a fisherman, who was cut off by the tide on a rocky projection, but was in no immediate danger as the tide had already reached its highest point. The gentleman was requested to stay on the rocks and was monitored by two Brigade members for approximately an hour until he was able to safely return to the mainland.

023/08 - 7th April 14.30h IRT

After receiving a report from a member of the public who had seen clothing on the shoreline at Tynemouth Longsands, HM Coastguard paged the Brigade with a request to attend the scene and try and establish who the clothing belonged to and whether they were in any danger or required any assistance. Brigade member, who were on a local area safety patrol at the time of being paged, arrived on scene and after speaking with the first informant, requested Tynemouth RNLI, who were already at sea on an P.R. exercise, to assist in searching the area for any persons in difficulty.
After a short period of time Brigade members were informed by 3 separate members of the public that the clothes belonged to a group of youths who had been swimming in the sea and had had their clothes washed away by the tide. They had then come out of the sea and left the beach partially clothed and headed in the direction of Cullercoats. This information was relayed back to HM Coastguard who stood down Tynemouth RNLI and cancelled the launch request that they had given to Cullercaots RNLI. Brigade members then continued on their local area patrol.

022/08 - 6th April 14.15h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade with a request to man the Richardson Road Helicopter Landing Site where RAF Rescue Helicopter 131 was in bound with an injured female. The lady had been involved in a road traffic accident and was assisted by the Brigade members who helped transfer her from the helicopter to an awaiting Ambulance.

021/08 - 28th March 01.00h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the brigade after receiving a report from Northumbria Police that a man was threatening to jump off the top of the Tyne Bridge and requested the Brigade to provide a communication link at the scene. After approximately an hour of negotiations, the gentleman was escorted off the Bridge via officers from Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade who used their telescopic ladders to lead him to safety.

020/08 - 22nd March 15.00h IRT + BRT

The Brigade was requested by Northumbria Police to assist in the search for a missing teenager by concentrating on the area from the mouth of the River Tyne up river to St. Peter's Basin. The Backup Response Team was called out and 14 Brigade members took part in the callout which included the search of any moored boats or vessels they came across. The search was soon extended to the south bank of the River with South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade covering this area and the Police Launch also searched all deep water moored boats. At 18.45h, with the search area covered and nothing found, the Brigade was stood down and returned to station.

019/08 - 21st March 13.40h IRT

While on a local area patrol, Brigade members were informed of a group of teenagers near the South Pier, Cullercoats, who appeared to be tampering with a lifebuoy. Brigade members arrived on scene and spoke to the group, who had been pier jumping and were all wearing wet suits, who explained that one of their group had fallen into difficulties and that they had used the lifebuoy to pull him to safety. The Brigade assessed the young male who had fallen in the sea for any injuries and, after ensuring he was fit and well and issuing him with some suitable safety advice, he left the scene. HM Coastguard was kept up to date during the duration of the incident and Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team was also in attendance.

018/08 - 14th March 14.25h IRT

HM Coastguard received a request off the North East Ambulance Service for assistance with caring for a casualty who had fallen on Whitley Bay Beach. The Brigade, who were out on a coastal patrol at the time, were on scene within 3 minutes and cared for the casualty until an ambulance arrived on scene and took the casualty to hospital.

017/08 - 12th March 21.20h IRT

HM Coastguard called the Brigade with a request to investigate a possible sighting of a red flare over the Jarrow/Hebburn area of the River Tyne. Brigade members spread along the north bank of the Tyne and were joined in their search by the Northumbria Police Helicopter and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue boat. After a detailed search, nothing was found and all units were stood down.

016/08 - 11th March 20.30h IRT

A Brigade Captain was contacted and informed that Rescue Helicopter 131 was in bound to the Richardson Road Helicopter Landing Site and was asked to assemble a team to man the site and assist the Helicopter crew. Four Brigade members attended the site and the Helicopter touched down at 23.40hrs with the Brigade assisting in transferring the casualty, who had been airlifted off an oil rig after suffering breathing difficulties, to the awaiting Ambulance.

015/08 - 10th March 13.35h IRT

HM Coastguard called the Brigade with a request to investigate a potential pollution problem highlighted by the Blue Reef Aquarium, Tynemouth. Blue Reef has a pipeline that sucks water from the sea from 500 metres directly in front of their building. From 7th March they had been seeing an oil scum/residue on top of the seawater tanks. Brigade members investigated and concluded that no external pollution was visible and the cause was possibly due to a drum or barrel of oil being lodged beside the in take which is sub-sea. The findings of the team members were reported back to the Coastguard control room.

014/08 - 8th March 14.00h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after a member of the public dialled 999 and reported that a vehicle was trapped on the causeway at St. Mary's Island with concern that someone may still be trapped inside it. Along with paging the Brigade, the Coastguard also deployed the Rescue Helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer which was on a training exercise in the local area. The first Brigade member on scene found that the vehicle, which was a North Tyneside Council van which had been taken across to the Island to empty the bins, was in fact empty and the driver was safe ashore and so his attention switched to trying to recover the vehicle which now had water lapping around its wheels, two of which had slipped off the causeway.

Assisted by three local lifeguards, the Brigade member attached a rope to the van and an attempt was made to pull it to safety. This failed and a second rope was then attached to the van which was then attached to a four wheel drive vehicle which again attempted to pull the vehicle back onto the causeway, again without success. By this time the council van was partially floating and it was deemed too dangerous to continue to have people in the water alongside a large moving object. The Brigade then stood by the vehicle as safety cover until the tide lowered which allowed a recovery vehicle to attend and remove the now submersed and over turned vehicle. Photos of this rescue can found by clicking HERE.

013/08 - 5th March 21.30h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade to attend the Redheugh Brigade where it was reported a man was threatening to jump. The Brigade was at attendance at the incident for approximately two hours whilst a Police negotiator persuaded the man to climb down to safety and he was then taken into the care. The Tyne and Wear Fire Rescue Boat was also in attendance.

012/08 - 5th March 16.35h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade along with Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat after receiving a report from Northumbria Police that a woman passenger had jumped from a car as it stopped at the Park Hotel roundabout, Tynemouth, and ran towards the sea. As Brigade members arrived on scene, it was confirmed that the woman had been apprehended by Police officers and taken back to the driver of the car who was also her carer.

011/08 - 21st February 21.30h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a 999 call reporting lights flashing on the rocks opposite St. Georges Church, Cullercoats. A swift response by a Brigade Captain confirmed that the lights were in fact Fishermen who were in no danger and were left to continue their fishing.

010/08 - 17th February 17.26h IRT

While on a local area patrol, Brigade members were flagged down by a local shop owner who made them aware of a young child who was in his shop and had become separated from their parent. Brigade members informed Northumbria Police and carried out a search of the local area to try and locate the parent. After a short period of time the child's parent was found safely and Northumbria Police released the Brigade from the incident to continue their patrol.

009/08 - 8th February 04.15h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a report of numerous flares being sighted out to sea off the Rex Hotel, Whitley Bay. Upon arrival, a young man pointed out to the Brigade members where the 'flares' were and this was confirmed as the ordnance buoy which lies roughly a mile out to sea. The gentleman was thanked for his diligence and the Brigade stood down.

008/08 - 6th February 15.30h IRT + BRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a report of a drifting dinghy just inside the River Tyne Piers with possible sightings of clothing floating next to it. As there was the possibility of a missing person, the Backup Response Team was called out to carry out a search of the River as Tynemouth RNLI All-Weather and Inshore Lifeboats launched and carried out a search of the area with help from the River Tyne Pilot Cutter and a Police Helicopter. After a short search information came to light indicating that the clothing was in fact debris floating down river and that the dinghy had been abandoned some days earlier and, with no missing persons being reported to the Police, the Brigade was stood down along with the Lifeboats once they had safely recovered the dinghy.

007/08 - 24th January 12.59h IRT + BRT

After receiving a call from Northumbria Police reporting a missing woman, HM Coastguard called out the Brigade and the Backup Response Team was deployed with a request to help search for the lady working north from Seaton Sluice. As six Brigade members arrived on scene they were informed that the woman had been found safe and well and were stood down.

006/08 - 16th January 18.18h IRT

A member of the public reported to the Coastguard that they had seen what appeared to be flares being set off directly off the centre of Tynemouth Longsands, with the Brigade dispatched to investigate the sighting. Once on scene, Brigade members confirmed with the first informant the sightings but, before any further investigations were launched, were informed by the Coastguard that a number of military aircraft were practicing in the area and were considered to be the instigators of the flares. With this information, the first informant was thanked for his prompt response and the Brigade returned to station.

005/08 - 16th January 00.35h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade with a request to carry out a search from North Shields Fish Quay round to Cullercoats Bay after receiving a call reporting two 21 year old males who had been out fishing all day and had not returned to their families. As Brigade members prepared to carry out a search it was confirmed that that two men had turned up safe and well at their homes.

004/08 - 15th January 16.38h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade with a request to investigate a report of a yellow kayak which had been spotted heading down the River Tyne. After speaking to the first informant and carrying out a brief search of the area, a sea kayaker was spotted heading back to Tynemouth Haven. Here he was met by Brigade members who issued him with safety advice and carried out an inspection of his safety equipment which, thankfully, was found to be in good condition and suitable for kayaking.

003/08 - 9th January 03.26h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade to attend an incident at Hartley Bay where two persons were reported to be at the bottom of the cliffs. Along with the Brigade, the incident was attended to by Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat, seven Fire Brigade units, two Ambulances, Police Helicopter India 99 and a number of Police patrol units. One casualty was pronounced dead at the scene with the other being taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The incident is under investigation by the police with no further details available.

002/08 - 2nd January 01.10h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a report of a young man who had fallen off the river path and become stuck in the mud in the River Tyne, near Blaydon. As four Brigade members assembled at the rescue vehicle in Tynemouth, another Brigade member who had arrived at the scene confirmed that the man had been brought safely out of the mud by the Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade and therefore the Brigade stood down.

001/08 - 1st January 01.30h IRT

HM Coastguard paged the Brigade after receiving a report of a person on the wrong side of the railings at Royal Quays Marina. As Brigade members made their way towards the scene, information was received confirming that the person had been recovered safe and well.