At just before 5pm today the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s Flood Rescue Team (FRT) was requested to join the emergency flood response to people in Cockermouth, Cumbria by the Police.

The RNLI is now pulling together its swift-water-rescue trained volunteers from around the north east coast who are travelling to the scene with specialist flood equipment, headed up by Gareth Wilson (day job RNLI Training Divisional Inspector).

The Flood Rescue Team, supported by Goodyear, is expected to arrive on scene at 9pm.

Cockermouth is a town where the rivers Derwent and Cocker converge. It lies inland from Workington.

Notes to editors: 

• Volunteers at the RNLI's 235 lifeboat stations in the UK and Republic of Ireland, were asked if they wished to volunteer for the RNLI’s Flood Rescue Team (formerly known as the RNLI’s Rapid Response Unit), which the RNLI set up following its involvement with flood relief in Mozambique in March 2000. Those selected were trained in survival techniques and other specialist skills.
• The RNLI has assisted with flood relief work in the UK and abroad: East Pakistan, flood disaster, 1970; Bangladesh flood disaster 1988; Uckfield, 2000; Boscastle flash floods, 2004; Guyana during 2005; and On standby for Aceh, Indonesia in 2005. Hereford 2006 Filey, Hull and Grimsby 2007 Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester 2007
• Costs for the RNLI’s Flood Rescue Team are usually borne by the requesting organisation.
• The RNLI Flood Rescue Team is supported by Goodyear.

RNLI media contacts : for more information please telephone RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789; pressoffice@rnli.org.uk