Return of Joe and Petunia in new Maritime and Coastguard Agency safety video
Do you know what to do when you get into trouble on the coast? According to new research, 50 per cent of people don’t know to call 999 and ask for the coastguard in an emergency despite the phone service being launched half a century ago.
The research, commissioned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency comes as a new video is launched in tribute to its old public information film which first broadcast the ‘999 coastguard’ message in 1968.
The characters Joe and Petunia are back, but this time in a present-day setting. The new film showcases a modern version of the original 1960s storyline, complete with dinghy sailor and contemporary Petunia. The first public information film featuring the hapless characters was released in 1968.This year, the MCA is celebrating 50 years of being part of the 999 network.
JOE AND PETUNIA “DIAL 999 AND ASK FOR THE COASTGUARD” FOR A NEW GENERATION from Maritime & Coastguard Agency is now available to view.
All of the modern-day actors are coastguard or RNLI volunteers or staff, and the new film squeezes a coastguard operations room, a cliff scene with coastguard and Petunia and an at-sea scene with the coastguard helicopter, RNLI lifeboat and dinghy sailor into its 40 seconds.
Julie-Anne Wood, head of maritime operations at the MCA, said: “We are hugely proud of our coastguard service in the UK. We are one of the most technologically advanced in the world and it comes as second nature to call ourselves one of four emergency services.
"However, it seems that 50 per cent of people still don’t know that they can ‘dial 999 and ask for the coastguard so we are hoping that Joe will work his wonders again.”