Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team

18/02/2026

🚨 A Busy Start to the Year for Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team 🚨

January has been an exceptionally busy month for the team here at Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

Over the past few weeks, we have:

🔹 Assisted Northumbria Police at numerous incidents
🔹 Responded to four incidents involving people in the water
🔹 Investigated two reports of unknown objects along the coastline
🔹 Conducted one search for a missing person
🔹 Carried out one casualty evacuation following a medical emergency

While we are always ready to respond, the rise in water-related incidents is a serious concern.

🌊 Cold Water Shock is a Real Danger 🌊
Even experienced swimmers can be overwhelmed by the effects of cold water. Just a short time in winter sea temperatures can drastically reduce your ability to swim and stay afloat.

As we head further into the year, please remember:

✅ Check tide times and weather conditions before heading out
✅ Keep a safe distance from cliff edges
✅ Never enter the water to try and rescue someone — call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
✅ In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard immediately

If you find yourself in the water unexpectedly:
➡️ Float to Live – Tilt your head back, keep your ears submerged, relax your breathing, and spread your arms and legs to stay afloat.

Your safety is our priority — but prevention is always better than rescue.

If you see any of our volunteers out and about, give them a wave 👋 They give up their time, day and night, to keep our coastline safe.

💬 We’d love your help to spread the message — please like, comment and share to help keep our community safe.

31/12/2025

🎉 Happy New Year from Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team 🎉

As we close the chapter on 2025, we’re proud to look back on a year defined by service, teamwork, and commitment to keeping our community safe.

Over the past year, Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team responded to 278 incidents, supporting people on some of their worst days and providing help, reassurance, and lifesaving assistance when it mattered most.

Team members were also tasked on several occasions as part of the Area Flood Team, responding to flooding incidents and supporting communities and other emergency services during periods of severe weather.

Away from operational call-outs, 2025 was a busy year for training and engagement. We took part in multiple multi-agency training exercises, working alongside partner emergency services to test our response to a range of scenarios and continually refine our skills, techniques, and interoperability.

We also spent time out in the community, attending public engagement events to educate people about what we do, coastal safety, and how to stay safe around our shoreline — a vital part of preventing incidents before they happen.

We were proud to be featured on Channel 5’s Coastguard Rescue during the rescue of a dog, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of our work, and we were delighted to welcome two new recruits to the team one being a transfer from elsewhere in the country, strengthening our capability for the future.

Thank you to our volunteers, their families for their continued support, and our colleagues across all emergency services. As we move into 2026, we remain ready, trained, and committed — whatever the conditions, whenever the call comes. 🌊🚁

On behalf of all at Sunderland Coastguard Team we wish you and all your family a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Sunderland Alpha - Andrew Burlison
Sunderland Bravo - Sean Martin
Sunderland 03 - Nick Robinson
Sunderland 04 - Dave Small
Sunderland 05 - Chris Hart
Sunderland 06 - Jonny Emme
Sunderland 07 - Martin Routledge
Sunderland 08 - Philip Smith
Sunderland 09 - Paige McNaught
Sunderland 10 - Rob Irving
Sunderland 11 - Christian Carney
Sunderland 12 - Neil Peddison
Sunderland 13 - Joel Robson
Sunderland 14 - Jonny Todd
Sunderland 15 - Katheryn Haswell
Sunderland 16 - Anthony Anderson

26/12/2025

🌊❄️ Boxing Day Dip – Sunderland ❄️🌊

Team members were pleased to attend the annual Boxing Day Dip at Sunderland today.

It was great to see so many people taking part and enjoying the event, with a fantastic turnout despite the cold conditions.

Thank you to everyone involved in organising the event, and to those who took the plunge — we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did (from the shore!).

Please remember: cold water can be dangerous at any time of year. If you’re heading to the coast, always check conditions, wear appropriate clothing, and know how to stay safe. In the event of any emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

📸 Photos from the event below kindly provided by members of the public.

24/12/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas from Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team 🎄

As the festive season is upon us, and everyone is getting ready for a cosy Christmas Eve, we’d like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe, happy New Year.

We want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to everyone who supports us throughout the year — our community, our fellow emergency services, and all those who show kindness and encouragement when we’re out on the cliffs, beaches, and coastline.

A very special thank you goes to our families and friends, who always understand when plans change, dinner goes cold, or the pager goes off at the most unexpected moment. Your patience, support, and understanding make it possible for us to do what we do, and it never goes unnoticed.

Wherever you are this Christmas, please stay safe along the coast, look out for one another, and remember we’re always here if you need us.

🎅🚨 Merry Christmas from all at Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team 🚨🎅

19/12/2025

08/12/2025

🚨 Team Training 🚨

Our team got together for our CERCC (Coastguard Emergency Response Casualty Care) revalidation this weekend, brushing up on some really important skills that might just save a life.

We covered things like:
CPR & airway management 🫁
Fracture care 🦴
Controlling catastrophic bleeding 🩸

After some training scenarios and training stations we were tasked on a full scale exercise to put our skills to the test.

It’s always great to train together and most importantly it keeps our skills up to date and lets us practice real life scenarios.

05/12/2025

🌊 Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team – November Round-Up 🌊

November saw a wide range of incidents for the team, with responses stretching from routine checks to specialist rescues.
• 13 police-led incidents: We were tasked alongside Northumbria Police on thirteen occasions, providing coastal search capability, specialist support, and safety cover.
• Person cut off by the tide: The team responded to a report of an individual cut off by the incoming tide and brought them safely to shore.
• Dramatic dog rescue: A technical rope rescue was carried out to recover a dog stranded in a hazardous location. A safe and successful outcome for all involved.
• Casualty evacuation: We assisted partner agencies with the evacuation of an injured casualty from a difficult coastal area.
• Flood team deployment: Several team members who also serve on the Area Flood Response Team were deployed to Northumberland to assist in the search for a missing person.
• 2 investigative incidents: The team attended two further incidents to investigate concerning reports about items spotted in coastal locations. After assessment, no further action was required.

As always, we remain ready to respond 24/7. If you see anyone in difficulty on the coast, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

05/12/2025

🌟 international Volunteer Day 🌟

Today we want to take a moment to recognise the incredible people who make up this team and to share a little reminder with our community about who we are.

Our team is made up entirely of volunteers. Every callout you see us attend is carried out by people who have their own full-time jobs, families, and daily commitments. When the pager goes off, they leave work, leave dinner on the table, or get out of bed in the early hours to help someone in need.

We’re proud of the dedication our volunteers show, and we’re grateful for the continued support from the public. We’re also incredibly grateful for the other networks of volunteers that assist us in our work especially the other Coastguard teams in and around the North East as well as South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade (SSVLB) and the Lifeboat Stations in our area who like us give up their time as volunteers to respond to emergencies.

Thank you for recognising the work we do to keep our coastline and community safe 💙

Stay safe, and remember — in a coastal emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

04/12/2025

Please see important information below from South Tyneside Council regarding the closure of the Marsden Grotto steps. We recommend checking tide times due to the potential for tidal cut offs in the area. If you find yourself in difficulty, call the Coastguard on 999

11/11/2025

🐾 Dog Rescued After Getting Cut Off by Tide – Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team 🐾

Yesterday, while our team was already dealing with another incident for several hours, we were tasked to investigate reports of a dog stranded on the beach, cut off by the incoming tide.

Our team members quickly located the dog and identified the safest access point before setting up for a rope rescue. A cliff technician was lowered to reach the dog safely, and together they were recovered to the top of the cliff.

We’re happy to report that the dog was safely reunited with their relieved owner 🐶 We would again just like to thank anyone who responded to our appeal.

Once our kit was packed up we then returned to the previous incident for several more hours before being stood down.

🌊 Remember: If your pet gets into trouble near the coast, don’t try to rescue them yourself — call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

10/11/2025

UPDATE - DOG NOW SAFE WITH OWNER.

03/11/2025

🚫 Recruitment Update 🚫

Due to an overwhelming response to our recent recruitment campaign, Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team is no longer accepting new applications at this time.

We’d like to thank everyone who showed interest in joining our team — your enthusiasm and support for local search and rescue is truly appreciated.

Keep an eye on our page for future opportunities.

Our flank teams - Seaham Coastguard and Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team are still recruiting and applications will remain open until the 1st December.