A volunteer coastguard who was nominated for an award for rescuing a schoolgirl from a cliff has resigned after a row over health and safety.Paul Waugh climbed down to Faye Harrison, 13, who was hanging on by her fingertips and about to fall 200ft (60m) at Salburn-on-Sea, Teesside.
He did not wear safety equipment as it would have taken time to go back to his vehicle which was some distance away.
Mr Waugh was later told that he had broken rules.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it was not looking for dead heroes.
It seems that they don't much object to dead schoolgirls, however.
The Skinningrove Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team was called out, along with the emergency services in January 2007, after three girls became trapped by rising tides.
Faye attempted to climb up the cliffs, but when a ledge gave way she was left hanging on to tufts of grass for 45 minutes.
Mr Waugh was one of three team members who arrived at the scene on foot, as their vehicle was trapped behind locked gates a field away.
They left safety equipment in the vehicle because they wanted to reach the scene as quickly as possible.
The 44-year-old from Skelton Green climbed down and held on to her for 30 minutes until she could be winched to safety.
He said: "I understand I broke a rule, but I felt it was a matter of having to because she only had minutes to live. She said that herself, she was planning her own funeral.
"When you see a little frightened face looking up at you, all you want to do is help.
"There's no way I'm going to stand back and watch a 13-year-old girl fall off a cliff."
Faye later nominated him for a life saver award as her "guardian angel".
However, Mr Waugh, who has been with the MCA for 13 years, was later told that the organisation had carried out an internal investigation into the team's handling of the incident.
He said: "I'm leaving now due to the hassle I've had over the last nine months. In fact, I've been depressed over it.
"Yes, fair enough, I broke a rule, but when I started my training a long time ago, I was told, one time, you'll work outside the box. And in this case I had to help her, she was ready to fall.
He added: "I'm very, very sad. It's a shame I'm having to go."
This case really does sum up what is wrong with this country. This man saved a child's life. But that doesn't matter, because he broke The Rules. And The Rules count for far more than the mere life of a child.
The PCSOs who stood by while ten-year-old Jordan Lyon drowned, and would not attempt to save him because that would be against The Rules are the new model citizens in today's Britain, for they obey, without ever troubling themselves with the consequences of their slavish obedience. People like Mr Waugh are the villains, for they can think for themselves, and respond to the exigencies of the moment, irrespective of the commands from above.
5 comments:
"Faye later nominated him for a life saver award as her "guardian angel"."
Did he get one? Or is he disqualified because he broke THE RULES..?
It wouldn't surprise me. What sort of a country have we become...?
JuliaM asks: "What sort of a country have we become...?"
To answer in a sentence or two. Britain, along with many other countries in the Western world, has become a feminized society. The concept of manliness - a spirited and risky assertiveness on behalf of one's self-respect and for the good of others - is held in contempt by lefty/liberal "thinkers" and their spineless followers. Which is why "Health and Safety" issues are guiding lights in this gutless new world.
I do Elfin Safety for a living. I am ashamed of those of my colleagues who insist on The Rules above common sense or decent humanity.
But what this also shows is how well advanced the NuLabour project has become in the development of a docile population. Smoking, parking, being searched, speeding, light bulbs, do-it-yourself, and much more are all being restricted in order to provide a docile population that DOES AS IT IS TOLD.
It may be too late!
We must be socially responsible. If I see something bad and do nothing about it, I will be just as bad as the bad thing.
For instance: There has been a terrorist bombing, John Reid the Home Secretary says "Maybe I could have saved you if you had let me introduce that legislation, but you stopped me, which means the blood of the dead is on my hands and yours."
I suggest watching 'Casualty' on BBC1 for its status as official state propaganda.
In the event of some accident, members of the public, usually men, usually white men are shown flapping about ineffectually. Unable to perform a simple task like lifting a fallen tree of somebody. Along comes a trusty paramedic from Holby City and she (its often a girl, sometimes ideally a black girl) will shove the idiot man aside "We'll take of this now sir!"
Remember folks, you at home cant attempt to deal with fires, break down doors, lift logs etc etc
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