Lifeguards Hero Squad

Coming up on Hero Squad...

six wannabe heroes...

..facing the worst nature can throw at them.

There's a new emergency crew in town.

I am Rav Wilding and this is Hero Squad.

Six ordinary school kids.

Their mission? To learn how to save lives.

But do they have what it takes to become real-life heroes?

The cadets have arrived at Sandbanks in Dorset,

one of Britain's most popular beaches.

They have just one day to train

and learn all the skills they need to perform a daring rescue

out at sea after a windsurfer has got herself into trouble.

Only then will they have proved they are tough enough

to join the ranks of the RNLI lifeguards.

Today, you are going to be learning

if you are worthy to wear the colours of the RNLI lifeguards.

-Are you ready to meet your mentor?

-Yes.

Let's bring her in.

Good morning, cadets.

My name is Laura and I am going to be your mentor.

Laura Barnett is part of a crack squad of RNLI lifeguards

who keep Britain's swimmers safe.

Laura's got eyes like a hawk

and is an expert at patrolling these potentially dangerous beaches.

But can she teach our rookie lifeguards how to save lives

out at sea and on the shore?

For the Hero Squad cadets, it's sink or swim.

It's going to be quite tough,

we're really going to put you guys through your paces.

I need to check out some of the skills you've already got

but we're doing it in a better environment, off to a pool.

It's just 18 degrees in that water

and the lifeguards are setting it up for a tough challenge

that mentor Laura has decided to give to the cadets.

A lifeguard must be able to rescue anyone up to 300 metres out to sea.

So mentor Laura's first challenge is for the cadets

to swim 16 lengths of this 25 metre pool.

That alone is a huge challenge for any 12 or 13-year-old,

but it doesn't end there.

They've got to do it in the RNLI lifeguard time of 7.5 minutes.

Hopefully I am going to swim like a fish.

Piece of cake!

Two cadets in particular are going to be worried about this test.

Football maestro Katy

and snowboarder Lewis are much happier on dry land.

Well, I am not the most confident swimmer so if I run out of stamina

I'd be scared I'd drown.

I wouldn't say I am the strongest ever swimmer.

I can swim enough to stay alive.

Let's see how they get on.

First to test their swimming skills, Kiera, Katy and Andy.

While Kiera sets a blisteringly fast pace,

it looks like Katy was right to be nervous - she's struggling.

The furthest Katy has ever managed before

is four lengths of a swimming pool

And what about Andy, he said he was confident and he'd swim like a fish.

Hm, doesn't look like any fish I can think of!

If any of the cadets do fail this all-important swim test -

there's no way Laura can let them continue.

Amazing time. Well done, Kiera!

Kiera finishes first and, to me, that seemed fast. Then, Katy.

Well done!

Katy has gone four times further in that pool

than she's ever swam before in her life.

I think that alone is a fantastic effort.

Followed by Andy.

Next up to face the swim test challenge are Alex.

-Is this going to be cold?

-No, it's tropical!

Luci...

And snowboarder Lewis.

In three, two, one.

Alex starts strongly and shows some good technique.

But very quickly it becomes obvious Lewis cannot keep up the pace.

THEY SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT

Luci completes the challenge first, followed by Alex.

And Lewis will be over the moon that he made it.

I feel all light-headed now!

I want to go to bed!

I tried my best.

I feel proud of myself.

So, let's take a look at the lifeguard league table.

Andy, Lewis and Katy swam well but they are in the bottom three.

Alex was the fastest out of the boys with a time of 9 minutes.

Luci clocked 8 minutes, 13 seconds.

All the cadets think if they didn't complete the challenge in

under 7.5 minutes,

they won't continue with the all-important lifeguard training.

But mentor Laura was secretly testing their stamina.

Could they push themselves? I think we can safely say yes.

But we still need to reveal the time of one cadet.

You had 7.5 minutes to do 16 lengths.

-And you completed it...

-In five minutes, seven.

That means at just 13 years old,

Kiera is already swimming fast enough to mean

she could qualify to be an RNLI lifeguard.

That's worth seeing again. Move over Rebecca Adlington!

Back in the pool again, the cadets are learning how to use

another important bit of lifeguards' kit.

This board is very stable.

It's unlikely you will fall off it but see how you do later on.

These big yellow things are called rescue boards

and they are specially designed for saving people in trouble out at sea.

First up is a lesson on how to steer and paddle.

And then how to get a struggling swimmer onto the board.

At this point, get your weight up onto the strap

and roll the board over.

It's a good start from the cadets but, as Katy and Luci discover,

steering the boards isn't as easy as it looked.

They had better be careful though, each one is worth nearly £1,000.

We've got a traffic jam up here!

Katy is splashing Luci more than anything else!

-Well done, guys.

-Mayhem.

Once they've got the steering sorted,

our learner-plate lifeguards are doing a great job.

One of the shortest cadets, Lewis, at just 1.5 metres,

has got his work cut out.

Lewis is a lot smaller than Andy. Let's see if he can flip it round.

Well done, he's done it. Well done.

But what the cadets don't know is that this pool

has some extra features to help with lifeguard training.

I'm about to make things a little bit more challenging.

It looks like they are having a little bit too much fun down there

so it's time to crank it up a bit. Let's give them some waves!

The choppy conditions are really challenging the cadets

and as a final test, they are going to have to perform

a real-life rescue - that will be me then.

-They are ready for a proper rescue.

-Bring it on!

The cadets have really got their work cut out for them here.

Alex is definitely the leader -

directing me onto the board and then making sure I am safely taken back.

I think Rav was being a bit of a baby. Not a bit, a lot!

Rav was panicking quite a lot.

And then it's good work from Alex again as he makes sure

I'm taken safely to dry land.

Who was grabbing me from behind?

Very good, Alex. Holding onto my legs.

Yeah, I thought they did very well. Luci told me to get off and swim.

So, I got off!

Next up, we are getting you out and dry and heading to the beach.

Whoo-hoo!

On their managed beaches it's down to the RNLI lifeguards to keep

members of the public on the beach and in the sea safe.

It's an important job and who would have thought

this group of 12 and 13-year-olds

would be allowed to patrol a section of Boscombe Beach for the day?

Mentor Laura is looking for a squad leader

who will take charge of tomorrow's Hero Squad challenge.

So the cadets need to impress her.

Cadets, most of you are probably pretty correctly dressed

and well done.

Katy, you are not making a rap video!

# Let's go to the beach, each

# Let's go get a wave... #

Once we've sorted that out the cadets split into three groups

to practice on the walkie-talkies and learn some new call signs.

Good communication is a vital skill for any new lifeguard.

Hero Squad one, Hero Squad one.

Hero Squad three, Hero Squad three.

This is Hero Squad one, over.

Andy takes the opportunity to show off some new dance moves.

This is Hero Squad three, I'd like you to um...

I'd like you to do a funky chicken dance. Over.

Hero Squad three, this is Hero Squad three.

No, thank you, we would not like to do a chicken dance, over.

But these walkie-talkies are no use when a lifeguard is in the water,

so the RNLI have a system of hand signals

that mentor Laura is going to teach to the cadets.

If we line up in a horseshoe...

So we use hand signals as lifeguards

because you can see that really clearly.

If we want them to move to our right,

we put our right arm up. Excellent.

And if we want them to move to our left, the other one.

Andy, wrong arm!

Other way now, Andy. Brilliant.

OK, we need to be able to pick up a casualty.

We've got somebody in trouble to our left,

our left arm goes up to point to where they are

and our right arm would do a little dance in the air.

Like a little yee-ha!

And that is our signal for "pickup swimmer".

That's a really important one.

Let's hope the cadets can remember the lifeguard lingo.

Tomorrow, they will have to communicate with each other

when they are called to a Hero Squad emergency.

A windsurfer is injured in the sea and needs their help.

Next up, Laura sets them off on a beach patrol.

I've planted a couple of Hero Squad hazards

that I want the cadets to spot, stop and report back to base.

Hero Squad one takes the tower with mentor Laura.

So, up here, look, we can see a lot more than we could stood on the beach

because we are that bit higher.

Hero Squad two, three and me hit the beach.

Beach patrols like this are a vital part of every lifeguard's job.

Their actions on these patrols

can prevent accidents before they happen.

It might look like a bit of innocent fun

but this inflatable croc could spell danger.

What's our worry potentially with that little girl on the inflatable?

Because the inflatable could get dragged out to sea.

It looks like they might be seeing it anyway.

-The current is quite strong at the moment.

-Is it?

Maybe we shouldn't go on there today then, Daisy.

Let's play on the beach with it.

Thank you.

Hero Squad one, Hero Squad one, this is Hero Squad three.

We have spoken to the mother with the inflatable and girl

and she will stay on the beach. Over.

Excellent, we are all back. Brilliant.

So, that's our dry bit done down the beach.

-Now it's time to get you back in your wetsuits and into the sea.

-Yes!

Let's go get kitted up.

The cadets head towards the sea

in their specially-adapted wetsuits and rash vests.

The English Channel can roughly be a chilly ten degrees,

so they need all the help they can get to stay warm.

As a final challenge, the boys are going head-to-head with the girls

in a lifeguard triathlon - run, swim and board.

We are going to win. We are going to thrash the boys.

I think our secret weapon is Alex

because he's going to beat Kiera at swimming.

-Am I?!

-Yeah, you are going to go right past.

Three, two, one.

Oi, get back here, Lewis! Get back here.

'Hold on, hold on - no cheaters allowed in Hero Squad!

'Five push-ups as a punishment for Lewis.'

Right, runners - three, two, one. Go!

It's important for a lifeguard to do the running

because they need to get to the scene as quickly as possible.

It's a good first leg from keen footballer Katy.

She's off!

-Kiera's off already. Come on, Alex. You got to catch up.

-Go on, Alex.

On the swim out, Laura is looking for capability

and strength in the water.

The cadets need to read the sea conditions

and show the waves who's boss.

In a real-life rescue,

speed through the water could be the difference between life and death.

He won't give up. Good swimmer, Alex. Good, strong swim.

Quite different out there as well. A lot colder.

That was a killer leg from Kiera.

She's given Luci a massive lead over the boys.

Go on, Andy. Good lad.

It looks like the girls are way ahead but, hold on -

Luci's lost her bearings.

Could this be the chance the boys are looking for?

Luci's gone way off there. She was on her way to Calais!

The boards kept drifting off to the left and then I got really tired.

With a bit of help from her friends, Luci gets her bearings,

heads for home and...

..it's victory for the girls.

Come on, Andy, to the finish!

The boys stagger home but, most importantly, they didn't give up.

Well done, go and put a coat on. Go and grab a coat.

It's the end of training.

The cadets have had their swimming skills put to the test,

learned how to use a rescue board

and patrolled a section of beach.

Tomorrow, an injured windsurfer is cast adrift at sea

and needs their help.

They will need a strong leader who can guide them

through the tough Hero Squad challenge.

OK, cadets.

There's one person who showed some good leadership skills today.

And we think the person that should do it tomorrow

is going to be you, Alex.

Well done, mate. Well done.

Really impressive, well done.

I think I became squad leader because I think Rav was grateful

that I saved him from his little accident.

I think Alex deserves to be squad leader today

because he was really encouraging his team-mates,

especially when we were doing the race.

I definitely think these guys are ready to patrol a beach

and I have full confidence in them for tomorrow.

Early morning, Sandbanks, Dorset.

This is one of the RNLI's busiest beaches

and the cadets are getting ready to take charge of a section

for their first day as active lifeguards.

I feel great in this uniform. I feel like a proper lifeguard.

We will have to keep our eyes peeled and see if someone is in danger.

It will be fun and exciting to rescue someone

in a real-life situation.

From now, you are on duty. Even while we are setting up the beach.

About one kilometre long, this is a big stretch of beach

for team leader Alex and the other Hero Squad cadets to patrol.

Whilst they set up,

the Hero Squad windsurfer is on the water just off Sandbanks beach -

she's currently 600 metres out and all is going well.

But there is some seriously bad news for one cadet.

Kiera's record-breaking time in the pool

and her hard work out at sea has left her with an ankle injury.

I'm more nervous than normal today

because I hurt my ankle in training yesterday.

And it's hurting today but I have to suck it up.

Mentor Laura gives Kiera's ankle some emergency treatment

and talks the cadets through the most important bits

of lifeguard First Aid.

When we are down in the sea, the sea can get quite cold.

In case people get really cold when they come out,

we can put this survival hood on them.

Talking of problems,

our windsurfer's day is about to take a turn for the worse.

She falls from her board, injuring her leg.

She's left floating, exhausted and adrift.

Back on the beach, not yet aware of the Hero Squad emergency,

Alex is in charge...

Hi.

..and sends the cadets out on patrol.

Six pairs of watchful eyes comb the beach -

alert to any sign of danger.

Mentor Laura will be keeping her eyes on them

to see which cadet performs the best

and deserves the Hero Of The Day prize.

Hero Squad three, this is Hero Squad one. Over.

It's the calm before the storm.

A Hero Squad informant has spotted the windsurfer

and placed a 999 call.

Hello, coastguard, please.

Can our learner-plate lifeguards come to the rescue?

They are about to receive the call

that will push all they have learnt to the limits.

-RADIO:

-'We've had a treble-nine call

'relayed from a training coastguard of a missing windsurfer.

'Are you ready to take down details, over?'

-What's going on, guys?

-Missing windsurfer.

-A missing windsurfer?

They called that through to the tower rather than Hero Squad

so this is going to be really important.

'Please can you conduct a beach and water search starting

'East of your base and feedback any information as you find it, over?'

Immediate, immediate, immediate.

ALEX ON RADIO: 'All Hero Squad stations return to base.'

Received, out.

As squad leader, it's Alex who takes control of the situation.

We are going to have Luci and Kiera out in the water and I'm going

to have Katy and Lewis searching the land and Andy is with me.

-Everyone know your positions?

-Yes!

-Hands in the middle.

ALL: Oooohh!

-Right, off you go.

-It's an emergency, let's go.

Kiera and Luci have changed into their wetsuits

before entering the sea.

It is dangerously cold otherwise.

But Kiera is still struggling on that ankle.

Both teams begin to sweep the shoreline,

they must work quickly - the waves are powerful and a life is at stake.

Can you bring them back to base?

'For your information, there is a strong tidal drift east.

'We are covering ground quickly.'

-She might get pushed out or pulled in.

-She could travel. OK.

As far as the cadets know,

the windsurfer could be anywhere along this huge stretch of beach

or she could be getting swept even further out to sea.

-Have you seen anything, Luci?

-No, have you?

-No, me neither.

The first major test for the beach patrol

arrives with the Hero Squad witness.

About five minutes ago, they separated

and I lost sight of them five minutes ago.

I think they were going that way towards the harbour mouth.

We found a witness and he's told us that

it was about 10 minutes ago he called 999.

They're floating back towards you.

Beach patrol, this is Hero Squad one.

I would like Lewis to relay the information more clearly

as it was very, very bad.

'Come on, Katy.

'All of the team and the windsurfer are relying on you

'to give accurate information.'

'They've been informed which way the windsurfer was drifting

'and are on their way back to base with the witness.

'But doesn't someone needs to tell the team in the sea what's going on?

'Without radios, Luci and Kiera

'are totally reliant on their team-mates on the shore.'

-We've got to tell the sea patrol.

-What are you going to do?

-I am going to whistle twice to get their attention.

-Hand signals?

-I guess I could try that first.

-OK.

Good. They have seen it.

They said we need to go more left. We've had more information.

We need you to go on a westerly patrol

to have a look behind the groynes.

Alex has sent his beach team to search

behind the rocky structures called groynes.

Sandbanks has a lot of these outcrops and the windsurfer

could be hidden behind them, out of the tower's line of sight.

As squad leader, Alex takes charge of the Hero Squad witness

and coordinates the rescue from base.

Using his initiative, and a big flag, he directs Kiera and Luci.

Good work, squad leader.

And then it's the moment all of the patrols have been waiting for.

In front of the boat, there seems to be something moving around.

From 200 metres away, and in the sea,

it's eagle-eyed Kiera who spots the windsurfer.

What are the boarders doing with their hands?

-They are signalling there is a swimmer.

-What does that mean?

Pick up a swimmer.

-Seen their message? Acknowledge it, then!

-OK.

Good, that's it. Good!

A second witness confirms the sighting, there's no time to waste.

There she is, there!

We can see a person's arms going up and down in the air,

that shows they are conscious which is always good!

I can see her, she's over there.

-She's there.

-What are you going to do then?

-That's it, get their attention.

-We have located the swimmer.

It's OK, we're from the lifeguard! Our sea patrol will pick you up now!

As she approaches the windsurfer,

Kiera takes control of the situation like a pro.

'Sandbanks base, this is Torbay control.

'Have you got any updates

'with your search for the missing windsurfer, please?'

We've located the swimmer and she's being brought back to base now. Over.

'Roger, that's a good outcome. Standing by.'

They've done it.

It took just two minutes, 15 seconds

from spotting the Hero Squad casualty

to getting her safely into shore. Amazing work.

The windsurfer is now on shore but she has hurt her ankle.

Once they've warmed up the windsurfer,

and used their First Aid skills to treat her,

the Hero Squad lifeguards can return her to the safety of their base.

I think it would be tough to be a lifeguard

because you have to remember all the information.

You've also got to go and save the lives as well.

I really want to be a lifeguard now.

I think we all performed as a team the best we have so far.

What a performance from the cadets today!

They've coordinated a search,

patrolled the beach,

and traversed the sea.

Their rescue is complete

and so too is the transformation from cadets to lifeguards.

Now, all that is left is to choose a Hero Of The Day.

All strong contenders.

Really impressive today, everything they learnt yesterday

really came into play today, the hand signals...

Really impressed with the girls on the board.

Back at the tower as well, Alex, fantastic squad leader.

I think we definitely made the right choice with him.

But one cadet impressed Laura more than the others.

For five of you unfortunately we've got a lot of sandy kits,

sandy wetsuits and boards that need cleaning

but, for one person, there's a chocolate cake.

The person who is Hero Of The Day...

..Kiera!

I know you like chocolate cake, so well done to you,

you are definitely the Hero Of The Day.

Kiera overcame injury and the cold sea

to rescue the Hero Squad casualty and return her to shore.

You just drifted away?

Kiera was an amazing swimmer and she went out today,

even though she's hurt her ankle. Amazing.

I am really happy I'm Hero Of The Day.

Coming up on Hero Squad..

the cadets are tasked with a dangerous mud rescue.

Will they be able to rescue someone trapped waist-deep in mud?

Find out next time!

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