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Saving Lives at Sea

T

thebigfredc

pfm Member
I hope a fair few folk have caught any of these programmes looking at the work of the RNLI volunteers. Think its into its fourth series now.

A couple of observations on all the episodes: their bravery in face of treacherous sea conditions is remarkable and yet they are so modest; the coast around the UK is beautiful and I feel somewhat ashamed to have seen so little of it.

Ray
 
Unbelievable on an island that the RNLI is a charity.

Not seen the tv programme, but the RNLI https://rnli.org/ is one charity I support.

I hope to never require their help.
 
I think you might find many to save lives (police, paramedics, fire fighters, air ambulance crew, mountain rescue etc) are modest about their actions in the face of danger and adversity.
 
The organisation maintained its original charitable status to avoid government interference such as being told which nationality it can't rescue(such as foreign combatant forces) and the issue of salvage(they don't claim it when towing stricken vessels into port). RNLI and Mountain Rescue are unpaid volunteer services.
 
gintonic said:
I think you might find many to save lives (police, paramedics, fire fighters, air ambulance crew, mountain rescue etc) are modest about their actions in the face of danger and adversity.
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They do. There are also those of us in those communities who help out in emergency situations because it's the right thing to do and because you can. What's interesting is that because it's something you do and something at which you are skilled it's not dangerous, it's just something you do. Rescuers do not put themselves in danger, they help others that are. I'm a mountaineer, I have been the first on the scene at a fatality and I just did what I had to do to help the rescue team find and secure the area, recover the body and get the dead person's companions off the mountain. It was an unpleasant task, grim in the extreme, but it didn't require any courage or special skills in its execution.
 
cooky1257 said:
The organisation maintained its original charitable status to avoid government interference such as being told which nationality it can't rescue(such as foreign combatant forces) and the issue of salvage(they don't claim it when towing stricken vessels into port). RNLI and Mountain Rescue are unpaid volunteer services.
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With the exception of the RAF Mountain Rescue, who are paid and exist to rescue downed aircraft and air crew and who use civilian incidents as a training ground. Finding a lost mountaineer in the mountains is the same as finding a lost pilot, after all.
 
I'm amazed at those who volunteer in the RNLI when they're the richest charity in the UK (save for the C of E) , with a board of directors on considerable salaries.

I like the use of the RNLI tag within for-profit companies that they run. Smart. Just like Barnardos and Macmillan etc...

But yes, I hope not to need their services and would feel incredibly indebted if I had needed them.
 
Hi,

Have always donated to them since I saw the lifeboat at North Berwick on an open day when I was a teen.

Have known a couple of members of one of the east coasts crews, one sadly passed away, they are the most modest people you could meet.

I remember asking one how rough it was when the sea was gale force, all he said was "Aye, it can get a bit choppy at times"!

Very brave people these volunteers.

Hope the link works.

https://www.facebook.com/rnli/photo...Uxpwy7HgmXjPaJqRakcUWK2arvlv9j2&__tn__=EEHH-R

Cheers

John
 
You thread crapping again, GT?

Thumbs up to RNLI, always known to Hullites, living out there at Spurn point with nowt to do when not on call. Hull is (was?) blessed with a full time version of the service. Anyway, living out there is the part that I admire as much as the danger! Its like the end of the world. And as I recall, they stay there on shift for several days at a time. I don't even think there is a guarantee they can get there and back in the car any more.
 
Amazing people. I was a kid when the Penlee Lifeboat disaster happened local to me. I remember vividly watching it all on the news at the time. It had a lasting impact on me and as someone who loves the water, keen sailor etc, it was an awful way to understand that you must never underestimate the sea. When I watch this programme, I am simply staggered by the utter stupidity of people.
 
richgilb said:
You thread crapping again, GT?

Thumbs up to RNLI, always known to Hullites, living out there at Spurn point with nowt to do when not on call. Hull is (was?) blessed with a full time version of the service. Anyway, living out there is the part that I admire as much as the danger! Its like the end of the world. And as I recall, they stay there on shift for several days at a time. I don't even think there is a guarantee they can get there and back in the car any more.
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nup - yet again you make a simplistic assumption about my intention - just pointing that there are many more voluntary organisation where the great people are just what makes the organisation tick.

As it happens whilst the RLNI is not one of my regular and chosen charities, I always seek out the local station or shop when we visit the coast and buy something and/or donate through the shop. Please engage your brain when responding to posts.
 
gintonic said:
nup - yet again you make a simplistic assumption about my intention - just pointing that there are many more voluntary organisation where the great people are just what makes the organisation tick.

As it happens whilst the RLNI is not one of my regular and chosen charities, I always seek out the local station or shop when we visit the coast and buy something and/or donate through the shop. Please engage your brain when responding to posts.
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OK, Gt, sorry.:rolleyes:
 
richgilb said:
Thumbs up to RNLI, always known to Hullites, living out there at Spurn point with nowt to do when not on call. Hull is (was?) blessed with a full time version of the service. Anyway, living out there is the part that I admire as much as the danger! Its like the end of the world. And as I recall, they stay there on shift for several days at a time. I don't even think there is a guarantee they can get there and back in the car any more.
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I don't think they actually live out at Spurn any more for the reasons you say. The station is served by boats coming out of Grimsby (well, Cleethorpes, the station is on the end of the prom) and the volunteers live in Grimsby (poor sods). It only takes 10 minutes or so to cross the estuary, Grimsby is nearer Spurn than Hull if you have a boat. In addition they are well placed for coastal incidents coming off the beach at Cleethorpes, and if there's a problem in the estuary then it's very easy to come out of Grimsby to attend to it.
 
stevec67 said:
I don't think they actually live out at Spurn any more for the reasons you say. The station is served by boats coming out of Grimsby (well, Cleethorpes, the station is on the end of the prom) and the volunteers live in Grimsby (poor sods). It only takes 10 minutes or so to cross the estuary, Grimsby is nearer Spurn than Hull if you have a boat. In addition they are well placed for coastal incidents coming off the beach at Cleethorpes, and if there's a problem in the estuary then it's very easy to come out of Grimsby to attend to it.
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Some lodging takes place there still. I know a tug pilot, he does sleep over shifts there. No idea why.
 
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