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RNLI hope for good Bank Holiday without incidents
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| Picture: Nicholas Leach |
RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards ready for busy bank holiday weekend as further Coastguard strike action looms
Come rain or shine, the August bank holiday is one of the busiest weekends of the year for the RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew members and lifeguards. This year, despite renewed strike action by HM Coastguard members, it will be business as usual for the charity's lifeboat crews and lifeguards.
Last August bank holiday weekend, the RNLI launched lifeboats 230 times to those in danger at sea, while RNLI lifeguards responded to 819 incidents on busy beaches.
This year, the charity's crews and lifeguards are preparing for another busy time despite further HM Coastguard strike action. The RNLI lifesaving charity is independent of the Government and HM Coastguard and is operating normally.
RNLI Chief Executive Andrew Freemantle is concerned that the strike action could affect lifeboat launching: "Anything that causes a break in the communications chain between those requiring assistance at sea, HM Coastguard and the rescue resources - in our case RNLI lifeboats - could potentially put lives at risk. Therefore we are monitoring the situation closely and liaising with the coastguard over their contingency plans. The RNLI responds to 9 out of 10 maritime emergency calls requiring lifeboats and, in the light of continuing industrial action, and to minimise the potential effect of any delay in emergency communication, the RNLI is reviewing its options regarding launching its lifeboats to maritime emergencies," he said.
Freemantle is also keen to ensure that the public are clear that RNLI lifeboats and lifeguards will not be on strike this weekend:
"There is still some confusion in the minds of the public over the respective roles of the RNLI and the Coastguard. The RNLI's charitable UK lifeboat service is provided entirely through the public's generosity, unlike the Coastguard which is government-funded. If people think our lifeboat crews are part of the strike then there is a real possibility that they will not support our charity in the future."
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