For Emergencies on the UK's Inland Waterways

Be Prepared to dial '999' or '112'!
We have both needed to call an ambulance while cruising the UK's Inland Waterways on our narrowboat and on both occasions, in different ways, getting the paramedics to the boat was not as straightforward as if we had needed to call them to a house. We hope that perhaps what we experienced will help us, and perhaps other boaters, in any future similar situation.

If an accident or medical emergency occurs while you are cruising, as long as delay and moving does not endanger the patient, cruise to a bridge with a road and moor. That will make it easier for the Ambulance to access the patient.

Whether you are cruising or moored, as well as a concise description of the problem, the primary requirement when you dial 999 (or 112 can be used on a mobile phone) will be your location. In our most recent emergency, we could provide the town, but when asked for the road, or the nearest road, we didn't have a clue. We could tell them where we were on the Canal (I believe they have bridge numbers and maybe lock numbers on their computer system, but the canal location wasn't their preferred reference point - the ambulance would come by road, not water!). A nearby Supermarket we could see was helpful in letting them ascertain our location and give directions to the Ambulance.

As a result of this experience we now take a note of where we are when we moor, and write it down on a sticky note, by the exit doors. Whenever we cruise we use a SatNav type program, Navvygator, which provides map coordinates when we stop. We write them down - in an emergency there may not be time, or sufficient clear thinking, to use computers or other devices. If we are moored in an urban situation we make a note of the the nearest road. We may never need it, but like our planned fire escape procedure, we would rather be prepared for emergency eventualities.

Oh, and we make sure our mobile phones are always charged! If there is no signal most modern mobile phones still allow you to call the emergency services. In "SOS" mode the phone connects through the nearest "cell" regardless of which service provider you are with.