A BALTIC security guard and grandfather-of-six said he's "pleased he helped to save somebody's life" after an intoxicated stag-do guest jumped from the Millennium Bridge.
John Dickinson acted quickly to save the man's life after he got into difficulty in the River Tyne in the early hours of Sunday August 21 this year. As well as making a crucial 999 call to the emergency services, John provided police with life-saving throwline equipment when they arrived on the scene.
The throwline equipment had been introduced following a training session between Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) and the RNLI. And it helped keep the partygoer afloat before he was plucked from the water by firefighters.
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John, who has worked at BALTIC for the past 16 years of a 40-year career in the North East security industry, said: " I knew if the lad was in the freezing cold water any longer things could have gone seriously wrong, and possibly prove fatal as the guy was stuck in the river. I dashed down from the office to see what was wrong, and if I could help in any way.
"I saw the lad was still in the water so I asked if anyone had called the emergency services, of which their reply was no. I got my phone and called for assistance straight away."
Subsequently, fire crews from Byker, Gateshead and Newcastle Central Community Fire Stations were also in attendance of the water rescue. The crew on the Fire Boat removed the intoxicated man from the river.
John shared his story ahead of the launch of a new Don’t Drink and Drown campaign by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS), coinciding with the FIFA World Cup 2022 and festive period, where people may be drinking near the region's waterways.
Richie Rickaby, the head of Community Safety at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The region has some beautiful waterways but these idyllic settings can become very dangerous if people enter the water under the influence of alcohol. Cold water shock can be deadly and if you have had a drink then your reaction time is even slower, making it more difficult to get to safety.
" This is why, especially around this time of year, we would advise people to take extra care when walking near to rivers, lakes and ponds after being on a night out with friends. The best guidance would be to take public transport home or get a lift from a designated driver.
"You certainly shouldn’t be entering the water as a joke. The reveller rescued by firefighters could easily have been killed if it wasn’t for the quick actions of John and the emergency services."
Following the rescue, John said he was pleased the water safety training he'd had helped to save someone's life, and offered some advice, saying: " As a father and grandfather my advice to young people thinking of swimming or jumping in to the river after a night out is simply…don’t do it! You could ultimately lose your life and leave your friends and family devastated, and have to live with your loss forever."
Since the introduction of the throwlines more than three years ago in locations across Tyne and Wear, six lives have been saved. On average, 80 people lose their lives each year in the UK through substance-related drowning.
The RLSS UK's Don't Drink and Drown campaign runs from November 21 until December 18 and Nick Ayers, the RNLI Water Safety Lead for the North & East encouraged waterside venues and businesses to sign up to the free Waterside Responder scheme training through the RNLI website.
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