Top technology presented to RNLI and HM Coastguard team in Cleethorpes

Funded by Solutions CIC, the Pulsar Axion XM30 Thermal Monocular (50Hz) will be used by the team to assist with callouts.

Joint interoperability between Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and the RNLI and HM Coastguard teams exposed the need for such technology. The Pulsar Axion XM30 is specifically suited to wet, cold and open landscapes and will assist in locating casualties in such an environment.

John Lowden, Watch Manager at Peaks Lane Fire Station in Grimsby said: “Aside from supporting the RNLI and HM Coastguard with incidents, we train with them every year."

“When we have supported them in mud rescues, we have used technology to help clear large swathes of marsh and beach relatively quickly and then reversely hone those resources straight to any casualties by using thermal imagery."

“However, the Fire Service units are built for entering hot atmospheres rather than an environment of wet, cold and open landscape where distance was required for searching, which led to the Pulsar Axion XM30 unit being chosen for those conditions.”

Nick Granger, CEO, HFR Solutions, said: “We are delighted to support both Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and the RNLI/Coastguard in not only improving their own safety and search capability but in doing so furthering our own vision of ‘making the Humber region a safer place to live and work’."

“Activity such as this is the very reason the company was initially set up to assist HFRS (and its partner organisations) with delivery of both statutory and non-statutory duties, we hope this will further improve the excellent response provided by both the coastguard and the Service to persons trapped within the mud or water in the region.”

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will continue to support the team within their coastal duties, but having a local asset available to the RNLI and HM Coastguard team will ensure a speedier response to incidents involving beach and marsh clearances.