UK Search and Rescue.

[Captain Kong]

I heard that the Government is ceasing to operate Search and Rescue operations around the British Coast.
An American Company, Bristows of Texas are going to operate SAR.
Does anyone know how that works??

Do they shout down to a drowning Sailor, "Have you any Insurance"?? NO? . `OK forget it, we are going back to base.`
How would they make it pay, Any ideas???
Brian.

[robpage]

Bristow Helicopters - a part of the US-owned Bristow Group - has won a government contract worth £1.6 billion to provide civilian search and rescue services for the whole of the UK.


The contract, awarded by the the Department for Transport (DfT), will bring the RAF and Royal Navy's 70-year search and rescue service to an end when it is phased-in in April 2015. The transitional period will run until July 2017 and the total length of the contract is approximately ten years.


Under the terms of this contract, Bristow Helicopters will provide 11 Sikorsky S-92 and 11 AgustaWestland AW189 helicopters that will be located at ten bases across the UK. Each SAR base will operate either two S-92s or two AW189s. In addition to the ten bases with 20 aircraft, there will be two fully SAR-equipped training aircraft that can be deployed to any base as needed.

The Sea King fleet is aging and needs replacing , they cannot fly over mountains , they have no de-icing gear

To supply 22 Helicopters at $17.7 each is a capital outlay of £300,000,000 and running 10 bases again expensive , so the Bristow deal is good value , and SHOULD ????? provide a better service

[Stan Carter]

after I read that article in the daily mail, a terrible thought hit me, whats next, " the lifeboats". that would really be a kick in the nuts.
regards, stan

[robpage]

The RNLI It costs around £385,000 a day to run , all of which is generously donated by the public. the 22 people rescued a day (on average) are get the service free of charge . So No gobvernment aid at all , the MOB devices supplied to teh fishing fleet , were I believe subsidised by Europe , and that is now stopping

[Ivan Cloherty]

Whilst sad to see yet another British institution coming to an end, if we cannot afford to run it as it should be run, then alternatives have to be sought and no one can deny that the USA search and rescue are highly competent and no doubt they will be recruiting some ex RAF/RN SAR pilots and crewmen (William has no need to apply). As I understand it all the Westland helicopters will be built in Somerset so some funds (and employment) will find its way back into our coffers. The comforting factor is that SAR will be equipped with faster response machines with a greater range, we can but live in hopes that previously high standards will be maintained., I feel that they will, as professional men and women will remain professional, because like us at sea when the chips were down we never thought about what we were getting paid, we just thought about getting on with the job, saving ourselves, shipmates, others and the ship

As for lifeboats they are an independent entity and run on Public generosity in the main, but why they need such plush offices in Poole defeats me, although I do understand the need for the training systems and deep pools, but I do feel that more money is being spent on administration, nice furniture and personal assistants than is really necessary with some high salaries that could be used to better effect on equipment

[Chris Allman]

As for lifeboats they are an independent entity and run on Public generosity in the main, but why they need such plush offices in Poole defeats me, although I do understand the need for the training systems and deep pools, but I do feel that more money is being spent on administration, nice furniture and personal assistants than is really necessary with some high salaries that could be used to better effect on equipment


Having been a member of the RNLI for over 20 years Ivan, I cannot but agree, plus they are getting rid of permanent hard working and low paid staff and putting more and more administrative duties on their non operational non paid volunteers around the country who are carrying quite a high workload already. The money at the top stays the same though.

[robpage]

I had mixed feelings about the RNLI Executive and Trustees having met one on a very good Ex Services pension , a s a senior officer he was well pensioned , and took what was then a good salary from the RNLI , but before I stuck my neck out and cried , I looked at teh make up of the team and was pleasantly surprised to see a diverse well suited team in both administrations ( trustees and Executive ) . Their jobs in a non charitable location would attract the salaries they are earning , so I have n gripes with that . I do , though think the crews and technical teams should get the lions share , but i can be anti-penpusher on a good day anyhow !

[Tony Morcom]

Listening to the CEO of Bristows on the TV the company that is running this new venture is a UK company. Its the parent co that is US. They have been trialling this in several UK areas for sometime. He also says that it is possible to assign up to 7 helicopters to any one incident because of their longer range capacity fuel wise. The cost savings come from their "supposed" ability to buy fuel cheaper because of larger storage units, more modern helicopters with a greater flying range which will actually reduce costs because of not having to keep returning to base to refuel, thereby saving running and maintenance costs. Time will tell, however personally I believe it would have been nice to retain the reassuring yellow colour rather than red and white.

Very easy to say when you're sat in a nice warm tv studio but his last statement was that "Getting the job done to its final conclusion will always take priority over any commercial considerations".

[Chris Allman]

The problem is Rob that there are a number of non operational non paid volunteers attached to each station, Treasurer, Press Officer etc and it is these people who are bearing the brunt of the permanent staff cuts. There is certainly a danger that if they are overloaded with work, these people will leave and the RNLI will " kill the goose that lays the golden egg " so as to speak as these people are very important to the running of the stations. With all the will in the world, a non paid volunteer is only capable of doing so much work before saying enough is enough and the volunteers are just that, volunteers.

[robpage]

I agree entirely Chris , and cannot follow why a retired Senior Naval or Air Force Officer on a very attractive pension would want to draw his full salary and expenses from the RNLI , but I never will understand that some people can never have enough , and some give all for nothing .