A reveller on a night owes a huge debt of gratitude to a security guard whose swift actions and ingenuity saved his life.

John Dickinson, a security supervisor for Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, acted quickly to spark a rescue mission after the man got into difficulty in the River Tyne.

He made the crucial 999 call to the emergency services but he was also able to provide police with essential lifesaving equipment when they arrived on the scene.

The throwline kit was introduced at the Baltic following a training session between Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) and the RNLI.

It helped keep afloat the lucky partygoer, who was visiting Newcastle on a stag celebration, before he was later plucked from the water by TWFRS firefighters.

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The fire service reflected on the river rescue as the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS) national Don’t Drink and Drown campaign is launched on Monday (November 21).

It is being promoted with the onset of the football World Cup and the festive period where people may be drinking near to the region’s waterways.

Richie Rickaby, who heads community safety for the fire service, said the reveller rescued by firefighters could easily have lost his life.

But he has also praised the quick actions of 61-year-old Mr Dickinson, who notified emergency services and provided the first responders with the throwline.

Area manager Rickaby said: “The region has some beautiful waterways but these idyllic settings can become very dangerous if people enter the water under the influence of alcohol.

“Cold water shock can be deadly and if you have had a drink then your reaction time is even slower, making it more difficult to get to safety.

“This is why, especially around this time of year, we would advise people to take extra care when walking near to rivers, lakes and ponds after being on a night out with friends. 

“The best guidance would be to take public transport home or get a lift from a designated driver.

“You certainly shouldn’t be entering the water as a joke.

“The reveller rescued by firefighters could easily have been killed if it wasn’t for the quick actions of John and the emergency services.

“We are proud of both him, and the work we do with organisations like the RNLI and RLSS UK, in raising awareness of water safety and being able to save people’s lives.”

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TWFRS regularly works with the RNLI to deliver its Waterside Responder Scheme, which provides essential water safety and throwline training to groups and businesses, free of charge.

It was the exact training programme that was successfully delivered to staff members at the Baltic Centre and led to Mr Dickinson being able to pass on priceless lifesaving advice on the night of the near-drowning incident, in the early hours of August 21.  

Mr Dickinson has worked in the security industry for the past 40-years, 16 of them based at the Baltic.

He said: “I knew if the lad was in the freezing cold water any longer things could have gone seriously wrong, and possibly prove fatal as the guy was stuck in the river.

“I dashed down from the office to see what was wrong, and if I could help in anyway.

“I saw the lad was still in the water so I asked if anyone had called the emergency services, of which their reply was no.

“I got my phone and called for assistance straight away.”

He then greeted two police officers and recalled the throwline water safety training, seeking out the specialist equipment from his office.

It ensured the stag-goer is alive to tell the tale.

Mr Dickinson was told the rescued man had jumped from the Millennium Bridge in to the water and swam across the River Tyne towards the Gateshead quayside.

Fire crews were soon also in attendance and enlisted the help of the service’s Fire Boat crew, who removed the intoxicated swimmer from the river.

Mr Dickinson, a father of five with six grandchildren, said he thinks of his family when recalling his role in the rescue.

“Being aware of the water safety training and knowing we had one of the throwlines in the office came second nature to me, and I’m just pleased it helped to save someone’s life.

“As a father and grandfather my advice to young people thinking of swimming or jumping in to the river after a night out is simply…don’t do it!

“You could ultimately lose your life and leave your friends and family devastated having to live with your loss forever.”

Since the introduction of the throwlines more than three-years-ago in locations across Tyne and Wear, six people’s lives have now been saved.

On average each year 80 people lose their lives in the UK through substance-related drowning, and it is feared that a tournament such as the World Cup, at this time of year, may increase the toll of tragedy.

The RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign runs for the duration of the World Cup, until December 18.

Further details are available on the RLSS UK website.

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