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Updated:
August 9, 2008
Emergency
services to gather in Burnham for action-filled ESCAPE Day
 Emergency
services from across Somerset will be gathering in Burnham-On-Sea
this Saturday (August 9th) to take part in a joint safety awareness
day featuring a wide range of rescue demonstrations and displays.
ESCAPE, the Emergency Services Community Awareness and Promotion
Event, will be held on Burnham seafront from 10am to 5pm and will
include a sail-past of lifeboats, hovercrafts and micro-light
aircraft.
Sixteen different emergency groups will be taking part, including
BARB, HM Coastguard, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Somerset
Fire and Rescue Service, St John Ambulance and the RNLI.
 Other
groups participating will include Somerset Air Ambulance, Skywatch
Rescue micro lights, Exmoor Search and Rescue, Freewheelers Blood
Bikes, Somerset 4x4 response, Mendip Cave Rescue, Highways Agency
Traffic Patrols and Burnham lifeguards.
Vehicles from each service will be on display and life-saving
demonstrations will take place in the sea, in the air and on the
land, providing spectators with a chance to see the life-saving
work up-close.
The day will start at 10am on Burnham seafront with the official
opening by BARB President Neville Jones and the town's Mayoress
Jo Burridge.
 A
simulated sea rescue with Coastguards and the hovercraft will
take place at 2.15pm and there will also be six other demonstrations
during the day.
BARB, the charity that operates Burnham's rescue hovercraft, has
organised the popular annual event since it started in 2004.
BARB's Roger Flower said: "This year's event is even bigger
than last year - we have more rescue services involved, more crew
members, and more demonstrations to watch."
"It will be a great opportunity to meet the rescue crews
from our local emergency services and see at first hand how they
work. It should be an interesting, action-filled day for visitors
of all ages."
The
organisers added their special thanks to Sedgemoor District Council,
which has helped in the co-ordination of the day.
| .ESCAPE
DAY 2008 SCHEDULE |
 10.00
Opening Ceremony with BARB President and Burnham's Mayoress
11.45
RNLI Launch
12.00
(approx) Flotilla arrives and includes RNLI lifeboats from Minehead,
Weston and Burnham, plus Burnham's two BARB hovercrafts
12.30
RNLI Demonstration
13.30
(approx) Flotilla out and departure of visiting craft
14.15
Mud Rescue (Coastguard, BARB and St John)
14.45
Tug of War heats begin
15.30
Drift Exercise RNLI
16.00
Tug of War final
All
times are subject to late change.
RELATED
LINKS:
2004
ESCAPE Day
2005 ESCAPE Day
2006 ESCAPE Day
Burnham-On-Sea
Hovercraft Web site
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