WESTON-SUPER-MARE RNLI VOLUNTEER GETS CALLOUT DURING HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Weston-super-Mare RNLI volunteer gets callout during his birthday celebrations

Helm Simon Johnson has been on the volunteer crew at Weston-super-Mare RNLI since 2019 so is used to his fair share of call outs, but Sunday 21st September turned out to be one of his most memorable ‘pager moments’ to date.

Simon said ‘I was out celebrating my 41^st birthday with my mum, wife and kids. We were right in the middle of a slap-up meal at our favourite Italian restaurant Il Michealangelo’s, which happens to be right opposite the lifeboat station. I’d literally just finished my main course and my empty plate was still on the table when my pager went off.’

At 5.55pm the HM Coastguard alerted Weston crew for an immediate launch to reports of someone in the water after a fall from height.

Simon explains ‘Usually we receive a request to launch, but if it’s a more urgent incident we get an ‘immediate launch’ and the pagers makes a different sound. I was really pleased that I was so close as all I had to do was run straight across the road so I was the first one to arrive at the station!’

Supporting crew turned up within minutes and the D Class lifeboat was quickly launched off the Knightstone slipway. It was a speedy job as before the lifeboat reached the casualty they had managed to get to shore unharmed where police were waiting to provide assistance. In fact, it was so fast that Simon was able to get back to restaurant in time for his surprise carrot cake, candles and rendition of happy birthday.

Simon’s wife, Holly happens to be the stations volunteer press officer so she could resist the opportunity of capturing it all on camera. Holly said ‘We are fully used to the sound of the pager and Simon disappearing at the drop of hat, no matter what we happen to be doing. He loves being part of the lifeboat and helping people so it would have made his birthday to get a shout with a positive ending. As a family we are really proud of him and how dedicated he is to saving lives at sea.’

Weston’s volunteer lifeboat crew are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All crew are members are members of the local community who give up their time to save lives at sea in the Bristol Channel.

Main Image © Pixabay

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