Published: August 10, 2010
Annual Burnham-On-Sea rescue services day this Sunday

Dozens of emergency services from across the West Country will be gathering in Burnham-On-Sea this Sunday (August 15th) to take part in a joint safety awareness day featuring scores of displays and demonstrations.

ESCAPE - the Emergency Services Community Awareness and Promotion Event - will be held on Burnham seafront from 10am to 5pm and will include displays by hovercrafts, lifeboats, a helicopter and micro-lights.

Over 20 different emergency groups will be taking part, including BARB, the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Somerset Fire and Rescue and the ambulance service.

Others include St John Ambulance, Skywatch Microlights, Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance, Freewheeler Blood Bikes, Wessex 4 x 4 Response, Mendip Cave Rescue, Avon and Somerset Cliff Rescue, Exmoor Search and Rescue, Marine Life Rescue, The Red Cross, Civil Contingencies, Environment Agency, National Blood Donor Service, Weston Super Mare Radio Club, WRVS and Secret World Animal Rescue.

Vehicles and teams from each service will be on hand during the day and life-saving demonstrations will take place in the sea and on the beach, giving spectators a unique chance to see their work up-close.

The event will begin at 10am with an official opening by Burnham's Mayor, Michael Clarke. This will be followed at 10.30 by a police display.

At 11.30am, the RNLI will perform a mock lifeboat rescue. This will be followed at 12.45 by a flypast of the Skywatch Microlights, and at 1.45pm an RNLI drift exercise. At 2.30pm, the air ambulance is scheduled to arrive, followed at 3pm by a BARB and Coastguard mud rescue demonstration.

BARB, the charity that operates Burnham's rescue hovercrafts, has organised the popular event since it started in 2004.

Event organiser Roger Flower told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "This year's event will be bigger than previous years and with more rescue services involved, there will be many exciting demonstrations to watch. It will be a good opportunity to see the work of our local emergency services at first hand and support them."